Local Government

Wales’ councils are democratically representative of their local communities and promote participation in local democracy by local people. Whole council elections are held every four years. Whilst councils provide a wide range of vital personal, community and environmental services for individuals and whole communities they are much more than just service providers they have a power of community leadership – to lead, influence and support partner organisations to work to common goals to meet the needs and aspirations of their communities.

Councils have legal status as corporate bodies. They are required to provide certain statutory services as set out in legislation and are empowered to provide other services at their discretion. Councils have statutory responsibilities to provide local services such as social care and to exercise local control and regulation through, for example, environmental health inspection and planning development control. Councils provide some services directly, work in partnership with other organisations, and commission others to provide services on their behalf. Councils are not motivated by profit although they do provide some trading services such as catering, and services for which there are private sector alternatives such as leisure centres.

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