There are three main different types of council, county, district and parish/ town councils. The county council run services across the country, for example education, transport and social care. District and borough councils run a smaller area, such as a city, whilst parish and town councils run things on a local level. This includes issues like planning applications.
Hull City Council- the main council in my local area, run several different areas. These include:
- Housing- approving tenants
- Bins- emptying bins, sorting out waste
- Lighting- running street lights
- Roads and pavements- maintaining roads, repairing pot holes
- Parks- upkeep and maintenance of parks
- Social care- youth work, fostering and caring for the old
- Education- running the local schools
The council is made up of both council officers and employees. The decision makers for each council are locally elected, each spending around four years in office. The councillors are accountable to residents, and are funded by a mixture of grants, council tax, and section 106 planning. Section 106 planning is when a company give a sum of money to the council to overcome intense property development.
The main way to report on councils is to attend council meetings. You can also research FOI requests that have been made in the area, and looking into campaigns and complaints.
I found this lesson interesting as I had no previous knowledge about the council. I didn’t know how many services the council run, and now understand what councillors do. I think looking into FOI requests is a great way to find stories, as it can cover a broad range of subjects. Also, I think attending council meetings would be a good idea, as you can find out the most up to date information all in one place.
Hannah Richardson, JDM 