A

Administrative County – These are Counties covered by County Councils.

Associations (Of Parish & Town Councils) County & District Associations of Parish & Town Councils promote the interests of member Town and Parish Councils and enables them to play a full role in partnership with other tiers of local government.  They often manage centres for training, support and education of Parish & Town Council members. They promote local democracy – involving  Parish, Town and Community Councils in the electoral process and active citizenship. They are usually actively involved with local governance proposals in the County or District for the tiers of Local Government to forge new partnerships. They often work with County Associations throughout the region and with independent County Associations.

B

Borough Status – Held by a town that forms the constituency of an MP or that was originally incorporated by Royal Charter.

C

Cabinet – There are two different types of cabinets, a leader and a cabinet or a directly elected mayor and a cabinet. Cabinet members may have portfolios. They are elected by the leader / mayor to make decisions regarding policy and budget.

Ceremonial County – These are areas for which a Lord Lieutenant acts as the Queen’s Deputy – every  Administrative County has a ceremonial County of the same name, but the ceremonial county is in many cases larger, as it takes in areas served by Unitary Authorities. (So, for example, the Ceremonial County of Hampshire includes the area administered by Hampshire County Council, plus the Unitary Authority areas of Portsmouth & Southampton.)

Chief Executive – Advises and oversees the council as a whole, specifically the co-ordination of the activities of all Principal Officers in the Council.

City Status – A title conferred by the Crown by Royal Charter.

Community Council – Are  Parish Councils in Wales and Scotland

Convener – Head of the council, elected for one year by fellow councillors (Scottish Councils only).

Council – Is the local governing authority of a county, town, district or borough, parish or community.

Councillor – An elected member of a council.

County – What is a County ? After thirty years of Local Government re-organisation, this is not an easy question to answer.  Generally there are three types - Historic Counties, administrative Counties or Unitary Authority areas (as defined by the Local Government act 1972), and ceremonial counties (With an appointed Lord Lieutenant) See  www.abcounties.co.uk for a detailed overview of this.

Counties, Non-metropolitan Districts and Unitary Authorities - In 1974 a two-tier administrative structure of (shire) counties and non-metropolitan districts was set up across the whole of England and Wales, except for the Isles of Scilly, Greater London and the six metropolitan counties. Council functions were divided according to the level at which they could be practised most efficiently. In consequence, counties took on functions including education, transport, strategic planning, fire services, consumer protection, refuse disposal, smallholdings, social services and libraries, whereas the districts had responsibility for local planning, housing, local highways, building, environmental health, refuse collection and cemeteries. Responsibility for recreation and cultural matters was divided between the two tiers.Following the Local Government Reorganisation in the 1990s major changes were implemented to create administrations most appropriate to the needs of the area concerned. The key feature of this change was the introduction of unitary authorities, single-tier administrations with responsibility for all areas of local government. Between 1995 and 1998 these were established in a number of areas across the country, especially in medium-sized urban areas, whilst other areas retained a two-tier structure.  There are currently 46 unitary authorities in England, and 34 shire counties split into 239 (non-metropolitan) districts. Note that this district total includes the Isles of Scilly, which has a unitary council but is considered as a district of the county of 'Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly' for coding purposes. London and the metropolitan counties retain their own structure. Counties, districts and unitary authorities are all built of electoral wards/divisions. Their boundaries are all subject to periodic review.

County Council – Responsible for strategic planning, highways, traffic, social services, education, libraries, fire, refuse disposal and consumer protection.

D

Directly Elected Mayor and a Cabinet – A Mayor elected by the electorate, not the members of the Council, who has a four-year term. The Mayor is responsible for the political leadership, policy framework and budget, taking executive decisions and electing the cabinet.

Directly Elected Mayor with Council Manager - A Mayor elected by the electorate, not the members of the Council, who has a four-year term. The Mayor provides political leadership, proposes policies and budgets and makes joint decisions with the council manager. The Council Manager, who is appointed by the council, appoints all other officers.

District Council – Responsible for local planning, housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services and parks, tourism and electoral registration.

Divisions – Are electoral areas, made up of a series of one or more Wards, that are used as the basis for election of Councillors to County Councils. The exceptions being In Wales and the Isle of Wight where wards are legally termed 'electoral divisions'

E

E-Champion – Every Local Authority has elected at least two e-champions (including an elected Councillor, and a senior officer) to lead the project of Implementing Electronic Government (IEG) for their Local Authority.

Elections - County Councils, London Boroughs, and Scottish and Welsh Unitaries elect all their councillors at once, every 4 years; Metropolitan Districts elect one-third of their councillors in each of the 3 years out of 4 which are not County Election years; English Unitaries and second-tier Districts were given the choice of the two methods: 18 out of the 46 Unitaries and 88 of the 238 Districts elect by thirds. Elections are always held by the plurality ("first-past-the-post") method even when 3 councillors for a ward are being elected at once. Parish Councils hold elections at the same time as their District, Borough or Unitary Authority.

England – In England County Councils are responsible for strategic planning, transport planning, highways, traffic regulations, education, consumer protection, refuse disposal, police, the fire services, libraries and the personal social services. District Councils are responsible for services such as environmental health, housing, decisions on most local planning applications and refuse collection. Both tiers of local authority have powers to provide facilities such as museums, art galleries and parks.

English District Council – are responsible for services such as environmental health, housing, decisions on most local planning applications and refuse collection. Both tiers of local authority have powers to provide facilities such as museums, art galleries and parks. Also have joint authorities to run wider services in their conurbation such as fire and civil defence.

English Parishes - are a very old form of spatial unit which originally represented areas of both civil and ecclesiastical administration. They used to be significant local government areas but now have very limited functions. Modern Parish Councils (which may choose to call themselves a town council) can provide facilities such as village halls, war memorials, cemeteries, leisure facilities and playgrounds. They have duties concerning maintenance of public footpaths and may also spend money on cultural projects, community transport initiatives and crime prevention equipment. In addition they must be notified of all planning applications and consulted on the making of certain byelaws. However, not all parishes have a council - if there are fewer than 200 parishioners, or if the parishioners do not want one, decisions can instead be taken at parish meetings. The geography is further complicated by the fact that several smaller parishes may come together to elect a joint council. Parishes once covered the whole of England but those in urban areas were abolished in 1974. In some smaller urban areas, successor parishes were then created, but this was not universal. In consequence some areas of the country have parishes and others not, making them an unsatisfactory unit for national statistical production.

Although parishes are affected by the boundary changes of the county districts or unitary authorities in which they fall, they are not contiguous with electoral wards. Many parishes are a similar size to wards, but some can contain several wards, and ward boundaries need not be followed.

English Unitary Council - Run all services in their area. Also have joint authorities to run wider services in their conurbation such as fire and civil defence.

G

Government Offices for the Regions(GORS) - These were established across England in 1994. Reflecting a number of government departments they aim to work in partnership with local people and organisations in order to maximise prosperity and the quality of life within their area. In 1996 the regions covered, known as Government Office Regions, became the primary classification for the presentation of regional statistics.  At creation there were ten GORs but in 1998 Merseyside was merged with the rest of the North West leaving the pattern shown. GORs are built up of complete counties/unitary authorities so although they are subject to change they always reflect adminstrative boundaries as at the end of the previous year. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not sub-divided into GORs but are listed with them as regions in UK-wide statistical comparisons.  

Greater London and the London Boroughs – The GLC established in 1965 as an administrative unit covering the London metropolis. It was not defined as a county but had a two-tier structure, with the lower tier being the London boroughs. Following the abolition of the Greater London Council (GLC) in 1986 the boroughs became single-tier authorities, but Greater London was still widely recognised, especially for statistical and mapping purposes. In 2000 however a two-tier structure was re-established when the new Greater London Authority adopted responsibility for a range of citywide policy areas. There are 32 actual boroughs, with a status similar to metropolitan districts, and also the City of London, which is a City Corporation and has a number of additional roles. Boroughs are made up of complete electoral wards and may therefore experience boundary change as a result of ward boundary change

H

High Sheriff – Performs ceremonial duties on behalf of the Queen. Appointed to each Ceremonial County.

Hung Council – When no political party has an overall majority. To have an overall majority a party must hold more than half the seats on the council. In this instance the party with the majority of seats usually, but not always, nominates the Leader of the Council.

L

Leader and a Cabinet – A Leader, elected by the members of the council, responsible for providing political leadership and electing the members of the cabinet. The Cabinet, who may have portfolios, make decisions on policy and budgets.

Leader of the Council – Customarily, the leading member of the party holding an absolute majority.

Livery Company – Social groups that represent either a trade / craft, regardless of whether it is still active in today’s society. They all have a common interest in the promotion and development of their craft / trade and for those whose craft / trade has disappeared they now often represent their modern equivalent. Livery companies are linked to the Corporation of London by the fact that their members have ‘The Freedom of the City’ and the right to elect the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs and other officers each year.

Local Government Act 2000 - This was a process of mandatory reform, the deadline for which was April 2002.  Local authorities in England and Wales were given the choice of four different governing structures to adopt. These options were a directly elected mayor and a cabinet, a leader and a cabinet, or a directly elected mayor and a council manager. There was a fourth option available to councils with a population of less than 85,000 by which they could retain the committee structure of old although now limited to no more than five.

Local Government Structure - Local government in the United Kingdom is structured in two different ways. In Scotland, Wales and parts of England - Unitary, Metropolitan and London Borough Councils - a single tier, all-purpose council is responsible for all local authority functions. The remainder of the UK has a two-tier system in which two separate councils divide responsibility: District and County Councils

London Borough Council – Run all services in their area. Also have joint authorities to run wider services in their conurbation such as fire and civil defence.

Lord-Lieutenant – Appointed by the Queen to act as her representative in the regions. This is an unpaid position, which lasts until the Lord-Lieutenant’s 75th birthday. Appointed to each Ceremonial County.

Lord Mayor – A title conferred by the Crown to the Head of a Council with city status.

M

Mayor - Head of the council, elected for one year by fellow councillors.

Metropolitan Council  - Run all services in their area. Also have joint authorities to run wider services in their conurbation such as fire and civil defence. In 1974 a new two-tier system of counties and districts was established across England and Wales. Six of the upper-tier units, all in England and representing heavily built-up areas (other than Greater London), were designated 'metropolitan counties' and were subdivided into 'metropolitan districts'. As with non-metropolitan areas the respective authorities covered all areas of local government, but the distribution of responsibilities was different to that of the county/district structure. In 1986 however the metropolitan county councils were abolished, although the county areas are still recognised, especially for statistical purposes. The 36 metropolitan district councils were left as single-tier authorities, a status retained to date, and accordingly have more powers than their non-metropolitan district equivalents.

N

Northern Ireland District Council – The 26 district councils have far fewer responsibilities than their mainland counterparts, dealing mainly with environmental health, refuse collection and disposal and leisure.

Northern Ireland  - is subject to the administration of both the UK Government in Westminster and also the Northern Ireland Executive in Belfast. The UK Government retains responsibility for a number of issues such as international relations, policing and justice. The Northern Ireland Executive however has powers in a number of areas such as health, education, industry, agriculture, environment, and culture. Northern Ireland is subdivided into 26 district council areas, which in turn are divided into electoral wards. The six historic counties (Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone) are still referred to in common parlance but do not constitute a level of administration.

P

Parish Council – Democratically elected local authority, can influence planning applications, community strategies, social housing schemes with housing associations. Other areas covered by local councils include the provision of recreational facilities, crime prevention, tourism, allotments, footpaths and commons. The electorate, who live in the parish, are responsible for electing the members to the council, these members then serve for a four-year term. Parish Councils can receive funding from their District Council, this is taken from the areas council tax. It should be stressed that a civil parish and, by extension, a Parish Council, is distinct from a church (or ecclesiastical) parish, which is overseen by a Parochial Church Council (PCC). Although the two may physically coincide, they are very different in their powers and responsibilities.

Parochial Church Council - is a group of members of the local church who, on behalf of the Parish, maintain the Christian wellbeing of all parishioners. Their duties are to ensure the spiritual wellbeing of the Parish and to uphold the fabric of the Church and the maintenance of the Church and Churchyard. It should be stressed that a civil parish and, by extension, a parish council, is distinct from a church (or ecclesiastical) parish, which is overseen by a parochial church council. Although the two may physically coincide, they are very different in their powers and responsibilities.

Parish Meetings - Very small Parishes may not have an elected council, in which case decisions are taken by open Parish Meetings.

Parishes/Communities - The smallest type of administrative area in England is the parish; the equivalent units in Wales are communities. Scotland also has communities but their councils are generally a channel of opinion to other authorities rather than an administration in their own right. Northern Ireland does not have any similar units. The Parish council comprises at least five members, the number being fixed by the district council.

Parliamentary Constituency – There are 529 parliamentary constituencies in England, 40 in Wales, 72 in Scotland and 18 in Northern Ireland. A Member of Parliament represents each parliamentary constituency.

Postal Counties – These are no longer recognised by the Post office since about 1995, as the correct use of postcodes makes them quite unnecessary. This can cause confusion at the boundaries of Countries, where post codes associated with an adjacent county may overlap. (So for example, Reading RG (Berkshire) Post codes overlap into Hampshire.)

Provost - Head of the council, elected for one year by fellow councillors (Scottish Councils only). (Equivalent to a Mayor)

R

Regions – There are 12 Regions within the UK: East Midlands, Eastern, London, North-West, North-East, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South East, South West, Wales, West Midland and Yorkshire & Humber. They form the electoral divisions for the election (Via proportional representation) for the 87 Members of the European Parliament. (MEPs) They serve a five year term. See also (Government Office regions)

Regional Development Agency – Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) were established for the 8 English Regions on 1 April 1999. RDAs are non-department public bodies (NDPBs) with a primary role as strategic drivers of regional economic development. RDAs aim to co-ordinate regional economic development and regeneration, enable the English regions to improve their relative competitiveness and reduce the imbalance that exists within and between regions.  Each RDA has five statutory purposes, which are To further economic development and regeneration, To promote business efficiency, investment and competitiveness and employment;  To enhance development and application of skill relevant to employment and To contribute to sustainable development.

S

Scotland – Scotland is subject to the administration of both the UK Government in Westminster and also the Scottish Executive in Edinburgh. The UK Government has responsibility for issues such as constitutional matters, foreign policy and defence, whereas the remit of the Scottish Executive includes matters such as health, education and law. Scotland is subdivided into 32 council areas, which in turn are divided into electoral wards and communities.

Scottish Communities - All of Scotland has had communities delineated, which fit into and change with council areas. However, community councils (CCs) are not statutory and only exist if volunteers are willing to run them. In consequence there are 1200 such councils which can represent either single delineated communities or groups of them. There are also around 100 communities, mostly in the larger cities, which have no council. The principle role of CCs is to act as a channel for the views of local communities. They have a legal right to be notified of and respond to planning applications and can be involved in a range of activities, mostly related to local infrastructure and community events (eg playgrounds, bus shelters, village halls, footpaths, flower beds, Christmas celebrations). Not all CCs participate however and those that do have to rely on voluntary work and fund-raising; many receive local authority funding for running costs only. In fact, although some are supportive, many local authorities tend to disregard their CCs and do not consider them as a tier of government even though they legally can have that role. It is only in the Western Isles (Eilean Siar), Orkney and especially in Shetland that CCs are viewed as an important tier in the administrative structure and have a correspondingly larger budget. Scotland's network of parishes was abolished for administrative purposes in 1973, when CCs were initiated. Unlike Wales, these new CCs were not necessarily based on old parish areas. As indicated, CCs fit inside council area boundaries, whereas the old parish geography no longer corresponds with any modern administrative pattern.

Scottish Unitary Council – From April 1996 Scottish Unitary Councils became responsible for all local government services. The three island councils already had unitary status.

Sheriff - Head of the council, elected for one year by fellow councillors.

T

Town Council – A parish council which because of their population, size and impact in the area can, by resolution of their council, take the style of a town council. Any parish council can designate itself a town council if it decides the title is fitting, no consent or approval is required. In this instance, the chairman becomes the town mayor and the vice-chairman the deputy mayor, whilst the parish meeting becomes the town meeting.

Traditional Counties – These are counties that have no legal or administrative standing, but still represent what many people continue to think of as “Counties” (These include Rutland, Berkshire, Herefordshire, Bristol, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire)

U

Unitary Authorities (or Councils) – These are single-tier councils. In the cases of Avon, Berkshire, Cleveland and Humberside all the Districts became Unitaries (with some mergers) and the County Councils were abolished. As in the Metropolitan Areas, some functions are now exercised by joint boards appointed by County Councils and the Unitaries which were formerly within their jurisdiction.

W

Ward – Electoral wards/divisions are the key building block of UK administrative geography, being the spatial units used to elect local government councillors in metropolitan and non-metropolitan districts, unitary authorities and the London boroughs in England; unitary authorities in Wales; council areas in Scotland; and district council areas in Northern Ireland. Electoral wards are found in Scotland, Northern Ireland and most of England. In Wales and the Isle of Wight the equivalent areas are legally termed 'electoral divisions', although they are frequently also referred to as wards. The only part of the UK without electoral wards/divisions is the Isles of Scilly, which has its own council but no electoral zoning. For statistical purposes however, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) counts and codes the islands' five parishes as electoral wards.  However, their boundaries change frequently: in some years several hundred electoral wards or divisions are affected, and in the extreme case of 2002 no fewer than 1549 got changed!

Wales – Wales is subject to the administration of both the UK Government in Westminster and also the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff. The UK Government retains responsibility for all primary legislation but the National Assembly has powers to make secondary legislation in a range of policy areas such as health, education, industry, agriculture, local government, environment, and culture. Wales is subdivided into 22 unitary authorities, which in turn are divided into electoral divisions/ and communities.

Welsh Unitary Authorities - Following the 1994 Local Government (Wales) Act the 8 counties and 37 districts of Wales were replaced in April 1996 by 22 unitary authorities with responsibilities for all aspects of local government.
8 of the UAs (Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda, Cynon, Taff, Torfaen and Wrexham) have county borough status (reflecting their existence as large population centres), whilst the other 14 have county status (reflecting at least some aspect of rurality). These definitions do not however affect authority structures. Unitary authorities are built from electoral divisions. They are also divided into communities. In Wales the terms County Council or County Borough Council are titles of honour referring to the status which areas had before the 1973 re-organisations. They are all actually Unitary Authorities.

Welsh Communities - Communities, which fit into unitary authorities, are the Welsh equivalent of parishes. Their councils have similar powers to English Parish Councils and may also choose to call themselves town councils. Unlike parishes in England, communities cover the whole of Wales, and this gives them greater potential as a statistical unit. There are 867 communities in Wales, 735* of which currently have a council. Prior to 1974 Wales also had parishes but these were technically abolished when communities were introduced, despite the new communities initially being delineated to the old parish boundaries.

Welsh Unitary Council – From April 1996 Welsh Unitary Councils became responsible for all local government services.