NCTJ Public Affairs Exam
Questions and Answers 100% PASS
Local government - types of council - CORRECT ANSWER-201 District councils
(e.g. North Devon District Council)
27 County councils (e.g. Devon County Council)
55 Unitary authorities (e.g. Cornwall)
36 Metropolitan districts (e.g. Salford City Council)
32 London boroughs (E.g. Camden Council)
+2 (City of London and Isles of Scilly)
353 major councils in England
(excluding Parish/ Town councils - there are 9,000/ 10,000 of them)
Two-tier authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
,Two-tiers of governance - county and district/ borough
Each tier has different responsibilities
Most councils had this structure up until 1990
After 1990, loads of mergers took place and unitary authorities were created
Hybrid authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
In areas where two-tier and unitary authorities co-exist
e.g. Brighton and Hove City Council (unitary) exists alongside a two-tier structure
of East Sussex County Council and several lower tier authorities, including Lewes
district council
Unitary authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
Integrated approach to governance, they run all local services
Mergers after 1990's led to creation of these
Combined authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
New tier of local government
In nine areas (e.g. Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region)
Resources of two or more existing councils are 'pooled'
© 2026 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. This document is
protected by copyright law
,Allows neighbouring councils to collaborate and make collective decisions (e.g. on
transport which spans across multiple council areas)
Get additional funding
Powers of combined authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Integrated transport
authority
Economic prosperity board
Can borrow money on open market
Elected mayors (e.g Burnham)
In Manchester, this authority controls the NHS budget and policing
Cornwall Council - CORRECT ANSWER-Created a unitary authority in 2009
Merger of one county and six district councils
123 members
Boundary Commission proposed to reduce member numbers to 87
Budget = £1 billion +
Metropolitan districts - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
Govern metropolitan (city) areas
Effectively unitary authorities
, e.g. Greater Manchester, Merseyside
Responsibilities of county councils - CORRECT ANSWER-Education (schools,
FE)
Social services
Highways
Refuse disposal (landfill)
Emergency planning
Culture and leisure
Strategic planning
Passenger transport
Unitary authorities run all of these
Responsibilities of district/ borough councils - CORRECT ANSWER-
Environmental health
Development control
Housing and homeless
Refuse collection and recycling
Council tax collection
© 2026 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. This document is
protected by copyright law
Questions and Answers 100% PASS
Local government - types of council - CORRECT ANSWER-201 District councils
(e.g. North Devon District Council)
27 County councils (e.g. Devon County Council)
55 Unitary authorities (e.g. Cornwall)
36 Metropolitan districts (e.g. Salford City Council)
32 London boroughs (E.g. Camden Council)
+2 (City of London and Isles of Scilly)
353 major councils in England
(excluding Parish/ Town councils - there are 9,000/ 10,000 of them)
Two-tier authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
,Two-tiers of governance - county and district/ borough
Each tier has different responsibilities
Most councils had this structure up until 1990
After 1990, loads of mergers took place and unitary authorities were created
Hybrid authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
In areas where two-tier and unitary authorities co-exist
e.g. Brighton and Hove City Council (unitary) exists alongside a two-tier structure
of East Sussex County Council and several lower tier authorities, including Lewes
district council
Unitary authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
Integrated approach to governance, they run all local services
Mergers after 1990's led to creation of these
Combined authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
New tier of local government
In nine areas (e.g. Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region)
Resources of two or more existing councils are 'pooled'
© 2026 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. This document is
protected by copyright law
,Allows neighbouring councils to collaborate and make collective decisions (e.g. on
transport which spans across multiple council areas)
Get additional funding
Powers of combined authority - CORRECT ANSWER-Integrated transport
authority
Economic prosperity board
Can borrow money on open market
Elected mayors (e.g Burnham)
In Manchester, this authority controls the NHS budget and policing
Cornwall Council - CORRECT ANSWER-Created a unitary authority in 2009
Merger of one county and six district councils
123 members
Boundary Commission proposed to reduce member numbers to 87
Budget = £1 billion +
Metropolitan districts - CORRECT ANSWER-Structure of local government
Govern metropolitan (city) areas
Effectively unitary authorities
, e.g. Greater Manchester, Merseyside
Responsibilities of county councils - CORRECT ANSWER-Education (schools,
FE)
Social services
Highways
Refuse disposal (landfill)
Emergency planning
Culture and leisure
Strategic planning
Passenger transport
Unitary authorities run all of these
Responsibilities of district/ borough councils - CORRECT ANSWER-
Environmental health
Development control
Housing and homeless
Refuse collection and recycling
Council tax collection
© 2026 Copyright. All Rights Reserved. This document is
protected by copyright law
