Councils
In most of England, there are two local government levels: a county council and a district council. These parts of the country are known as shire areas. Hertfordshire is a shire county.
County councils cover large areas and provide most of the public services, including education, social services, public transport and libraries. They are divided into several districts.
District councils cover smaller areas and provide more local services, like council housing, leisure facilities, local planning and waste collection. District councils with borough or city status are called Borough Council or City Council instead of District Council, but this doesn't change their role. There are ten district and borough councils in Hertfordshire.
In the larger towns and cities of England, and in some small counties, there is just one level called a unitary authority or a metropolitan district council. They are responsible for all local services. Some towns also have their own directly elected mayor. There are no unitary councils in Hertfordshire.
There are also town and parish councils, covering a smaller area than districts. They are responsible for services like allotments, public toilets, parks and ponds, war memorials, and local halls and community centres. They are sometimes described as the third tier of local government.
This page last updated: 11-12-2008