Local Authorities

Local government directly affects quality of life, particularly when it comes to council tax, planning, waste disposal and the impact of local policies. You may want to investigate how this is likely to affect you if you decide to move. There are nearly 400 local authorities in England, with five different types of local government structure. These can be broadly divided into single-tier and two-tier authorities.

Single-tier authorities are Metropolitan Authorities, London Boroughs and Unitary or Shire Authorities. Two-tier authorities have both a County Council, and a District Council or City Council.

There are also around 10,000 parish and town councils, effectively creating an additional tier in some areas - mostly, but not exclusively, in rural areas. The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) represents and works on behalf of these community councils and is a useful contact point.