NCTJ Public Affairs Exam With Verified
Solutions
what are the two types of two-tier structures?
counties overseeing districts, metropolitan county councils overseeing metropolitan borough councils
is ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is PLANNING PERMISSION the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is HOUSING AND HOMELESS the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
are CAR PARKS the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or
of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is COUNCIL TAX the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities,
or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is REFUSE COLLECTION (waste, recycling) the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan
borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is EDUCATION the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or
of county councils?
county councils
are SOCIAL SERVICES the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
are ROADS the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of
county councils?
county councils
are CULTURAL AND LEISURE SERVICES the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough /
unitary authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
,is TRANSPORT the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or
of county councils?
county councils
is REFUSE DISPOSAL the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
is EMERGENCY PLANNING the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
what kind of council is an authority which is the sole principal council for its local government area?
unitary council
in 1986, what did the tories replace most of the two-tier structures with because they thought two-
tier structures were a waste of resources?
unitary councils
what piece of legislation is the two-tier structure of government based on? and when was it
implemented?
local government act 1972, 1974
unitary councils are the norm everywhere except which nation?
england
what do you call the structures in places which have BOTH unitary AND two-tier structures in their
areas?
hybrid structures
what is an example of a place that has a hybrid structure with councils?
east sussex (brighton and hove city council which is unitary, and east sussex county council which are
several other district councils, i.e. eastbourne borough council)
which councils are the lowest form of government? (2)
parish councils, town councils
what year were combined authorities first established? where?
2011, greater manchester
what piece of legislation describes the scope of the powers for combined authorities?
cities and local government devolution act 2016
which kinds of authorities borrow money from the open market to make investments?
combined authorities
,London's authority has a ___ ____ ____ overseeing __ second-tier councils
Greater London Authority, 33
which piece of legislation introduced the greater london authority and brought in police crime
commissioners?
greater london authority act 1999
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for TRANSPORT?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for POLICE?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for CONGESTION CHARGES?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for FIRE SERVICES?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for SOCIAL SERVICES?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for WASTE COLLECTION?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for HIGHWAY REPAIRS?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for LIBRARIES AND LEISURE?
boroughs (this is usually the other way around outside of london and county councils look after this)
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for SCHOOLS AND FURTHER EDUCATION?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for DEVELOPMENT CONTROL?
boroughs
is council spending on infrastructure (offices, roads, housing, crossings) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE or
REVENUE FUNDING?
capital expenditure
, is council spending on maintenance (staffing, lighting, repairing) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE or REVENUE
FUNDING?
revenue funding
"Councils can borrow an 'affordable figure' on a low interest loan for specific projects from the central
government. Councils repay this through their own resources without government support."
what kind of capital expenditure is this?
prudential borrowing
"Councils borrow from the central government to finance their capital spending, BUT unlike other
capital spending, they have funds available to help repay the loans and interest."
what kind of capital expenditure is this?
supported capital expenditure
"Money is raised by selling land and buildings. These are divided into two categories - usable and
reserve."
what kind of capital expenditure is this?
capital receipts
when capital receipts are used for specific purposes, particularly repaying debt, are these reserve or
usable?
reserve
when capital receipts are determined by the community secretary and used for infrastructure
investment, are these reserve or usable?
usable
what are the two kinds of grants under capital expenditure?
capital, EU
list the five sources of capital expenditure
prudential borrowing, supported capital expenditure, capital receipts, capital grants, EU grants
list the four sources of revenue expenditure
grants, local taxes, upfront fees charged for services, business rates (upfront fees includes fees for
leisure, rubbish collection, car parking / fines / tickets, private contractors, and the European social
fund)
what are the two kinds of revenue grants, broadly speaking?
formula and non-formula
are revenue grants that cover areas of high social economic deprivation, or other challenges,
FORMULA or NON-FORMULA?
formula
Solutions
what are the two types of two-tier structures?
counties overseeing districts, metropolitan county councils overseeing metropolitan borough councils
is ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is PLANNING PERMISSION the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is HOUSING AND HOMELESS the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
are CAR PARKS the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or
of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is COUNCIL TAX the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities,
or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is REFUSE COLLECTION (waste, recycling) the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan
borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities
is EDUCATION the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or
of county councils?
county councils
are SOCIAL SERVICES the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
are ROADS the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of
county councils?
county councils
are CULTURAL AND LEISURE SERVICES the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough /
unitary authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
,is TRANSPORT the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or
of county councils?
county councils
is REFUSE DISPOSAL the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
is EMERGENCY PLANNING the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities, or of county councils?
county councils
what kind of council is an authority which is the sole principal council for its local government area?
unitary council
in 1986, what did the tories replace most of the two-tier structures with because they thought two-
tier structures were a waste of resources?
unitary councils
what piece of legislation is the two-tier structure of government based on? and when was it
implemented?
local government act 1972, 1974
unitary councils are the norm everywhere except which nation?
england
what do you call the structures in places which have BOTH unitary AND two-tier structures in their
areas?
hybrid structures
what is an example of a place that has a hybrid structure with councils?
east sussex (brighton and hove city council which is unitary, and east sussex county council which are
several other district councils, i.e. eastbourne borough council)
which councils are the lowest form of government? (2)
parish councils, town councils
what year were combined authorities first established? where?
2011, greater manchester
what piece of legislation describes the scope of the powers for combined authorities?
cities and local government devolution act 2016
which kinds of authorities borrow money from the open market to make investments?
combined authorities
,London's authority has a ___ ____ ____ overseeing __ second-tier councils
Greater London Authority, 33
which piece of legislation introduced the greater london authority and brought in police crime
commissioners?
greater london authority act 1999
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for TRANSPORT?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for POLICE?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for CONGESTION CHARGES?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for FIRE SERVICES?
GLA
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for SOCIAL SERVICES?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for WASTE COLLECTION?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for HIGHWAY REPAIRS?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for LIBRARIES AND LEISURE?
boroughs (this is usually the other way around outside of london and county councils look after this)
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for SCHOOLS AND FURTHER EDUCATION?
boroughs
in London, is the GLA or boroughs responsible for DEVELOPMENT CONTROL?
boroughs
is council spending on infrastructure (offices, roads, housing, crossings) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE or
REVENUE FUNDING?
capital expenditure
, is council spending on maintenance (staffing, lighting, repairing) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE or REVENUE
FUNDING?
revenue funding
"Councils can borrow an 'affordable figure' on a low interest loan for specific projects from the central
government. Councils repay this through their own resources without government support."
what kind of capital expenditure is this?
prudential borrowing
"Councils borrow from the central government to finance their capital spending, BUT unlike other
capital spending, they have funds available to help repay the loans and interest."
what kind of capital expenditure is this?
supported capital expenditure
"Money is raised by selling land and buildings. These are divided into two categories - usable and
reserve."
what kind of capital expenditure is this?
capital receipts
when capital receipts are used for specific purposes, particularly repaying debt, are these reserve or
usable?
reserve
when capital receipts are determined by the community secretary and used for infrastructure
investment, are these reserve or usable?
usable
what are the two kinds of grants under capital expenditure?
capital, EU
list the five sources of capital expenditure
prudential borrowing, supported capital expenditure, capital receipts, capital grants, EU grants
list the four sources of revenue expenditure
grants, local taxes, upfront fees charged for services, business rates (upfront fees includes fees for
leisure, rubbish collection, car parking / fines / tickets, private contractors, and the European social
fund)
what are the two kinds of revenue grants, broadly speaking?
formula and non-formula
are revenue grants that cover areas of high social economic deprivation, or other challenges,
FORMULA or NON-FORMULA?
formula
