What do councils do?

 

Councils work with local people and partners, such as local businesses and other organisations, to agree and deliver on local priorities. They provide a wide range of services either directly, in partnership with others or by commissioning them from a third party.

 

Since the Local Government Act 2000, councils have been responsible for the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of their areas. The Localism Act 2011 and more recent changes to the way that public health, welfare and the police are organised have given councils and communities more influence over the way their local area is managed.

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Councils provide more than 800 services to local communities. Most are mandatory, which means by law the council must do them. Some mandatory functions are tightly controlled by central government, resulting in a similar level of service across the country.

 

Other services are discretionary: the council has discretion over the type and level of service it provides. They range from large economic regeneration projects right down to the removal of wasp nests. Councils have been allowed to charge for some discretionary services, such as leisure facilities, for some time. They now have a general power to charge for discretionary services (provided it is not prohibited by other legislation and the council does not make a profit).

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