What are the powers of local and devolved government and how can citizens participate?

Welcome to Politics and Participation!

In this chapter, we are going to look at how power is shared across the UK. Many people think politics only happens in London at the Houses of Parliament, but that is not true! Politics happens right on your doorstep through local government and across the different nations of the UK through devolved government. By the end of these notes, you will understand who makes decisions about your bins, your schools, and your hospitals, and how you can get involved in those decisions.

Don’t worry if some of the terms like "devolution" sound a bit technical at first—we will break them down together using simple examples!

1. Local Government: Politics on Your Doorstep

Local government is the level of government closest to you. Think of the UK government in Westminster like the "Headteacher" of a giant school, while the local council is like the "Form Tutor" who looks after your specific classroom.

What does Local Government do?

Councils are responsible for the services that affect your daily life. These include:
• Education: Providing schools and nurseries.
• Environment: Bin collections, recycling, and keeping parks clean.
• Housing: Managing social housing and helping the homeless.
• Transport: Fixing potholes, maintaining local roads, and managing bus routes.
• Leisure: Looking after public libraries and swimming pools.

Councillors: Your Local Voice

Local areas are divided into small patches called wards. People in these wards elect councillors to represent them.

How are they held accountable?
Councillors are accountable (responsible) to the people who voted for them. If they don't do a good job, citizens can vote them out at the next local election. You can also contact your councillor directly to complain about a local issue, like a broken streetlamp or a closed library.

Quick Review Box:
Local government = Local services (bins, libraries, local roads).
Councillors = Elected representatives for your local area.

2. Devolved Government: Sharing Power across the UK

The UK is made up of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. For a long time, almost all decisions were made in London (Westminster). However, through a process called devolution, some of that power was handed down to the other nations.

The Devolved Administrations

• Scotland: Has the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
• Wales: Has the Welsh Parliament (Senedd) in Cardiff.
• Northern Ireland: Has the Northern Ireland Assembly in Belfast.
• England: England does not have its own separate parliament. Decisions for England are usually made by the UK Parliament in Westminster.

Reserved vs. Transferred Powers

To understand how this works, think of a "To-Do List."

Transferred Powers (Decided by Devolved Governments): These are things like health, education, and local transport. For example, this is why students in Scotland don't pay university tuition fees, but students in England do!

Reserved Powers (Decided only by Westminster): These are "big picture" issues that affect the whole UK, such as defence (the military), foreign policy (relations with other countries), and immigration.

The "English Votes for English Laws" (EVEL) Debate

Because England doesn't have its own parliament, Scottish or Welsh MPs sometimes voted on laws that only affected England. This led to a debate about whether only English MPs should be allowed to vote on English issues. This is known as English Votes for English Laws.

Memory Aid: The "Pizza Slice" Analogy
Imagine the UK is a giant pizza. Westminster decides what the dough is made of (Reserved powers). But Scotland, Wales, and NI get to choose their own toppings for their specific slices (Transferred powers)!

3. How Can Citizens Participate?

Democracy only works if people take part! There are several ways you can get involved in local and devolved politics.

Standing for Election

If you want to change things yourself, you can stand as a candidate.

Who can stand?
• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must be a British, Irish, Commonwealth, or EU citizen.
• You usually need to live or work in the local area you want to represent.

How are candidates selected?
Most candidates belong to a political party. The party members choose who they want to represent them in an election. However, you can also run as an independent candidate if you don't want to join a party.

Voting: Who has the say?

Currently, to vote in UK General Elections, you must be 18. However, there is a big debate about the voting age.

• The Argument for 16: In Scotland and Wales, 16-year-olds can vote in local and devolved elections. People argue that if you can pay taxes or join the army at 16, you should be able to vote.
• The Argument for 18: Others argue that 16-year-olds may lack the life experience to make such big decisions.

Did you know?
Even if you can't vote yet, you can still participate by joining a youth council, signing a petition, or contacting your local councillor!

4. Voter Turnout and Apathy

Voter turnout is the percentage of people who actually show up to vote. Voter apathy is when people feel "bored" or "disinterested" in politics and choose not to vote because they feel their voice doesn't matter.

Why is turnout sometimes low?

• People feel politicians don't listen to them.
• They find the voting process confusing.
• They don't think any of the parties represent their views.

How can we increase turnout?

• Making it easier to vote (e.g., voting online or over several days).
• Better citizenship education in schools.
• Lowering the voting age to 16 to get young people engaged early.

Key Takeaway: Low turnout is bad for democracy because it means the government might only listen to the small group of people who actually bother to vote!

5. Money Matters: How is it paid for?

Government services aren't free! They are paid for through taxes.

Local vs. National Taxes

• National Taxes: Collected by the UK government (like Income Tax on your wages or VAT on things you buy). This pays for things like the NHS and the Army.
• Local Taxes: Collected by your council. The main one is Council Tax, which is based on the value of the home you live in. This pays for your bins, street lights, and local parks.

Budgeting and Managing Risk

Councils and governments have to create a budget. This is a plan for how they will spend their money. They have to manage risk (making sure they don't run out of money) and make difficult decisions.

Example: Should a council spend money on a new youth centre, or should they spend it on better care for the elderly? They often cannot afford both, so they must choose based on what the community needs most.

Common Mistake to Avoid:
Don't assume the local council gets all its money from Council Tax! Actually, a lot of their money comes as a grant (a gift of money) from the national government in London.

Summary: Section Review

• Local Government handles your immediate needs like bins and local schools.
• Devolution shares power with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for things like health and education.
• Westminster keeps "Reserved" powers like defence and immigration.
• Citizens participate by voting (usually at 18) or standing for election (at 18).
• Taxes (Council Tax and National Taxes) pay for everything, but governments must make tough budgeting choices.

You've reached the end of this chapter! Great job! If you can remember the difference between a local councillor and an MP, you're already halfway there!