Public Affairs- Councils

• The Court is separate from the council which means that an MP is also separate from the council. For instance Steve Brian the local MP for Winchester ( Torie) represents Winchester in Parliament but he has no direct control in any council or Courts.

• 'A Clinic Book' is a tool which MPs use to allow members of the public to raise a query to councils/parliament, however, they have no actual power to ensure these queries are resolved.

• There are three types of council:

1. City Council
2. District Council
3. Parish Council

For example, Hampshire County Council is more powerful than Winchester City Council and is consequently in charge of Winchester City Council. Hampshire County Council controls a budget of 1.8 billion whereas in comparison Winchester City Councils controls a budget of 12 million.
The Parish Council are underneath the City Counciln in terms of ranks.

• District Council is responsible for:

1. Dead Animals
2. Parking
3. Abandoned Vehicles

• Winchester City Council is responsible for:

1. Bins
2. Leisure
3. Health
4. Environmental issues
5. Parking                

• In the City Council they have Unitary authorities which means that all the councils are together as one layer. For example Southampton City Council is at the same level as Hampshire County Council.

• Councils are organised like Parliament in Westminster, for instance you can have a cabinet if you have a big party etc.

• It is within the Public's Interest to report on council meetings and also qualified privilege gives you the freedom to report on council meetings without any risk of being sued for libel/ defamation. However, due to the terms of the Defamation Act 1996 you need to give any person the opportunity to defend themselves, or their actions.

• Local authorities are funded by a combination of grants from central government, council tax and business rates.

• Councillors are elected from a place called a Word.

• MPs are elected from a constituency.

• People who come in to talk to the council during a council meeting are called Civil Servants- they are people from a particular profession who come in to talk about their profession.