How "Two Tier" councils work

"Two tier" authorities share the provision of local services.

Harborough District Council and Oadby and Wigston Borough council have responsibility for services ranging from revenue collection (council tax, business rates) and environmental health (housing standards, pollution and pest control), to the provision of housing and housing benefits, leisure and recreation facilities (parks, swimming pools) and waste collection.

Leicestershire County council's responsibilities are different. They deal with education (schools, adult education), libraries, transport (traffic management, roads and infrastructure maintenance, including bridges, lighting and drainage) and social services (care for the elderly and disabled, adoption and fostering services).

So in local elections, you elect your District or Borough Councillors in one year and your County Councillors in a another year. The next District and Borough Council elections are in 2007 and the next County Council elections are in 2009

For a complete list of which councils look after different services, please consult the table below:

Services Leicestershire County Council Harborough District & Oadby & Wigston Borough Councils
Allotments   x
Car parks   x
Care and protection of children x  
Care for elderly people x  
Care for people with a disabilities x  
Cemeteries   x
Concessionary travel fares x  
Council tax and business rate collection   x
Cycle routes x  
Education including Special Needs x  
Electoral registration   x
Environmental health   x
Emergency planning x x
Highway maintenance x  
Housing and Housing Benefit   x
Improving road safety x  
Leisure centres and pools   x
Libraries and archives x  
Licensing of markets   x
Local planning and building and development control   x
Maintenance of Public Rights of Way x  
Meals on Wheels x  
Minerals and quarries x  
Museums and arts x  
Nursery schools and classes x  
Parks and open spaces   x
Primary and secondary schools x  
Providing adult education x  
Public conveniences   x
Refuse collection   x
Registration of births, deaths and marriages x  
Road clearance x  
School transport x  
Street cleaning and litter   x
Strategic planning for Leicestershire x  
Street lighting x  
Trading Standards and Consumer Protection x  
Tourism x  
Traffic calming x  
Traffic management x  
Waste disposal x