CSS Solved Political Science Past Papers | Under the Unitary State System, how does the local government system work in the UK?
The following question of Political Science is attempted on the same pattern, taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Question Breakdown
The examiner has asked for a comprehensive evaluation of the local government system in the United Kingdom. An aspirant should therefore begin by penning a brief introduction. Following that, a brief definition of the unitary system. Moving on, the division of the local government system is written, followed by the operation of the local government system in the United Kingdom and a conclusion.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Definition of Unitary System
3- Division of the UK’s Local government system
- ✓Single tier
- Unitary authorities
- Metropolitan boroughs
- ✓Two tier
- County councils
- District, borough, or city councils
4- Working of local government system in the UK
5- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The United Kingdom is a unitary state with a complex local government system. The central government has power, while local authorities manage services at the regional level. UK local governments are either two-tier or single-tier, with unitary authorities, metropolitan boroughs, London boroughs, and Scottish Councils being the latter. These entities provide essential services to meet local needs while following national policies and strategies along with cohesion with the overall national policies and strategies.
Definition of Unitary system
A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as a single entity, with the central government as the supreme authority. The unitary form of government is distinguished by two key features: the central government’s supremacy and the absence of subsidiary sovereign polities. As a result, unlike the federal form of government, it does not have a dual-polity or dual-judicial system. The United Kingdom, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are the countries that have a unitary system.
Division of the UK’s Local government system
The United Kingdom functions as a unitary state where all authority comes from the federal government. As a unitary state, the United Kingdom’s federal government is the ultimate source of law and order. As a result of legislative changes over time, the United Kingdom now has a system of local government whose structure and responsibilities are determined at the national level.
Local government in the UK is broadly divided into two types:
- Single-tier
- Two-tier
1- ✓ Single tier
In this system, there’s only one level of local government, which is responsible for all local services. There are several forms of single-tier local governments in the UK
- Unitary authorities
There are 58 unitary authorities. These are in charge of all of the local services offered within their jurisdiction, including those that, under a two-tier system, would be provided by both the county and district council. Several counties in England and Wales function as unitary authorities.
- Metropolitan boroughs
There are 32 London boroughs. English metropolitan areas like Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, and Merseyside all have single-tier local governments. Metropolitan boroughs deliver all local services in their area.
2- ✓ Two-tier
This method is predominantly utilized in England’s non-metropolitan counties, also known as shire counties. There are two levels of local government in a two-tier system, which are as follows
- County councils
There are 24 county councils, divided into two levels. These organizations provide larger-scale services such as education, social services, public transportation, and strategic planning, respectively.
- District, borough, or city councils
The counties of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands, and West Yorkshire are served by 36 metropolitan district councils. These organizations are in charge of more locally-focused services like housing, planning applications, waste collection, and recreational facilities.
Working in the local government system in the UK
The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government is in charge of the local government system in the United Kingdom. This ministry also allocates funds to local governments and establishes policies. Local government in the United Kingdom is made up of a complex web of authorities and councils, each of which has its own duties and powers. County councils, district councils, and unitary authorities are the three most common forms of local government in the United Kingdom. District councils are in charge of housing, trash pickup, and local planning in their own areas. County councils, on the other hand, are in charge of services that affect a larger area, like education, social services, and transportation.
Similarly, a unitary authority combines a county council and a district council to serve a single geographical area. Adding more to that, local councils, also known as parish or town councils, oversee the management of smaller communities. These councils are restricted to managing public spaces like parks, walkways, and cemeteries within their jurisdictions. However, Local governments are not the only ones with authority; Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have their parliament or assembly with jurisdiction over healthcare, education, and transportation.
Conclusion
To sum up, local government in the United Kingdom is a complicated but essential part of the unitary state. Even though power is centralized, local governments can manage and run services that are specific to their areas in a good way. Both the two- and one-tier systems are flexible enough to meet a wide range of regional requirements while remaining consistent with the overarching goals of the national government. In the United Kingdom, the local government system will continue to play an important role in bridging the gap between how basic services are run and how national policies are made.
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