District Councils' Network

The District Councils' Network (DCN) is a special interest group in the Local Government Association.[1] It represents 164 non-metropolitan district councils in England,[2] representing over 40%[3] of the population and 68% of the land. It is funded by membership subscriptions and its purpose is to "act as an informed and representative advocate for districts to government and other national bodies, based on their unique position to deliver for 'local' people".

District Councils' Network
Named afterDistrict councils
PredecessorAssociation of District Councils
FormationApril 1974 (1974-04)
TypeSpecial interest group
PurposeTo "act as an informed and representative advocate for districts to government and other national bodies, based on their unique position to deliver for 'local' people".
HeadquartersWestminster, London
Region
United Kingdom
Membership
164
Chairman
Councillor Sam Chapman-Allen

It shares offices with the Local Government Association in Westminster.

History

District Councils were created in 1974 following the restructure of local government in England.[4] District Councils were created alongside County Councils and are responsible for running services such as housing, economic development, waste collection, planning and community services.

Following the re-organisation of local government the Association of District Councils (ADC) was set up in April 1974. This replaced the Rural District Councils Association and Urban District Councils Association as the representative body of non-metropolitan district councils in England.[5][6] In March 1997, the ADC was wound up and merged with other local authority organisations to form the Local Government Association (LGA).[7]

The District Councils' Network was formed as a special interest group of the LGA to give a distinct voice for District Councils. In 2011, the DCN inherited funds from the defunct ADC.

Members' Board and Chief Executives' Group

The DCN has a Members' Board consisting of 22 councillors representing the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats and independent groups from all areas of the country. As of 2021 this is chaired by Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Leader of Breckland.

Alongside the DCN Members' Board sits the Chief Executives' Group (CEG) made up of District Chief Executives from across the country. The chair of the CEG is Bill Cullen, Chief Executive at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.

The Director of the DCN is James Hood.[8]

The DCN Assembly meets four times a year including an annual DCN Conference; previous keynote speakers include Liz Truss, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, James Brokenshire, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

About

The DCN provides a voice for district councils to the Local Government Association, Central Government and other national bodies. This work includes informing and influencing national and local stakeholders. The DCN has worked on a variety of issues; including local government finance, welfare reform, planning, housing, economic regeneration and health and wellbeing.

The DCN has released a number of publications on issues affecting district councils in England. In 2015 the DCN commissioned renowned health think-tank The Kings Fund to explore the scope for districts playing a greater preventative role in the public health agenda[9] in a groundbreaking study 'A time of challenge and opportunity' [10] and academics from the University of Birmingham's Inlogov to investigate the best way districts should adapt to the English devolution agenda [11] in a report entitled 'Building Better Collaboration'.[12]

Previous publications have included a joint research project with the independent think tank New Local Government Network on new ways of working;[13][14] a publication on District Councils involvement in City Deals,[15] and Districts actions on the Public Health agenda.[16] The DCN also provide evidence on behalf of District Councils to central government to help shape the direction of policy towards local government. This has included evidence on Community Budgets,[17] Local Enterprise Partnerships, Localisation of Council Tax,[18] Business Rates, Public Health,[19] Welfare Reform[20] and Private Rented Sector Housing.[21] The DCN also host a number of events each year on topics affecting District Councils such as public health and private sector housing.

List of counties and districts

This is a list of non-metropolitan counties and their districts in membership of the District Councils' Network.

Non-metropolitan county Non-metropolitan districts (excluding unitary authorities) Number
CambridgeshireCambridge - South Cambridgeshire - Huntingdonshire - Fenland - East Cambridgeshire 5
DerbyshireHigh Peak - Derbyshire Dales - South Derbyshire - Erewash - Amber Valley - North East Derbyshire - Chesterfield - Bolsover 8
DevonExeter - East Devon - Mid Devon - North Devon - Torridge - West Devon - South Hams - Teignbridge 8
East SussexHastings - Rother - Wealden - Eastbourne - Lewes 5
EssexHarlow - Epping Forest - Brentwood - Basildon - Castle Point - Rochford - Maldon - Chelmsford - Uttlesford - Braintree - Colchester - Tendring 12
GloucestershireGloucester - Tewkesbury - Cheltenham - Cotswold - Stroud - Forest of Dean 6
HampshireFareham - Winchester - Havant - East Hampshire - Hart - Rushmoor - Basingstoke and Deane - Test Valley - Eastleigh - New Forest 10
HertfordshireThree Rivers - Watford - Hertsmere - Welwyn Hatfield - Broxbourne - East Hertfordshire - Stevenage - North Hertfordshire - St Albans - Dacorum 10
KentDartford - Gravesham - Sevenoaks - Tonbridge and Malling - Tunbridge Wells - Maidstone - Swale - Ashford - Folkestone and Hythe - Canterbury - Dover - Thanet 12
LancashireWest Lancashire - Chorley - Fylde - Preston - Wyre - Lancaster - Ribble Valley - Pendle - Burnley - Rossendale - Hyndburn - South Ribble 12
LeicestershireCharnwood - Melton - Harborough - Oadby and Wigston - Blaby - Hinckley and Bosworth - North West Leicestershire 7
LincolnshireLincoln - North Kesteven - South Kesteven - South Holland - Boston - East Lindsey - West Lindsey 7
NorfolkNorwich - South Norfolk - Great Yarmouth - Broadland - North Norfolk - King's Lynn and West Norfolk - Breckland 7
NorthamptonshireSouth Northamptonshire - Northampton - Daventry - Wellingborough - Kettering - Corby - East Northamptonshire 7
NottinghamshireRushcliffe - Broxtowe - Ashfield - Gedling - Newark and Sherwood - Mansfield - Bassetlaw 7
OxfordshireOxford - Cherwell - South Oxfordshire - Vale of White Horse - West Oxfordshire 5
StaffordshireTamworth - Lichfield - Cannock Chase - South Staffordshire - Stafford - Newcastle-under-Lyme - Staffordshire Moorlands - East Staffordshire 8
SuffolkIpswich - East Suffolk - Mid Suffolk - Babergh - West Suffolk 5
SurreySpelthorne - Runnymede - Surrey Heath - Woking - Elmbridge - Guildford - Waverley - Mole Valley - Epsom and Ewell - Reigate and Banstead - Tandridge 11
WarwickshireNorth Warwickshire - Nuneaton and Bedworth - Rugby - Stratford-on-Avon - Warwick 5
West SussexWorthing - Arun - Chichester - Horsham - Crawley - Mid Sussex - Adur 7
WorcestershireWorcester - Malvern Hills - Wyre Forest - Bromsgrove - Redditch - Wychavon 6
Total191

See also

References
  1. "Special interest groups | Local Government Association". Local.gov.uk. 2013-08-30. Retrieved 2013-09-24.
  2. "Members | District Councils' Network". Districtcouncils.info. Retrieved 2013-09-24.
  3. "Table 8a Mid-2011 Population Estimates: Selected age groups for local authorities in England and Wales; estimated resident population; Population Estimates for England and Wales, Mid 2011". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  4. Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70. The Stationery Office Ltd. 1997. ISBN 0-10-547072-4.
  5. Chris Cook, ed. (2006). Routledge Guide to British Political Archives: Sources Since 1945. p. 232. ISBN 9781136509612. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  6. Janice Morphet (2008). Modern Local Government. p. 35. ISBN 9781446232996. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  7. Michael Chisholm (2000). Structural Reform of British local government: Rhetoric and Reality. Manchester University Press. p. ix. Retrieved 9 January 2014. local government association history.
  8. "DCN Staff – District Councils' Network". districtcouncils.info. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  9. William Eichler (19 November 2015). "District councils 'sleeping giants of public health' says report". LocalGov.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  10. David Buck, Phoebe Dunn (November 15, 2015). "The district council contribution to public health: a time of challenge and opportunity" (PDF). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  11. Richard Johnstone (October 8, 2015). "Give districts key devolution role, INLOGOV suggests". Public Finance. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  12. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. Jamie Hailstone (March 6, 2013). "District councils 'must lead from the front'". The MJ. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  14. Vivienne Russell (March 8, 2013). "District councils 'central cog in growth drive'". Public Finance. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  15. Jonathan Werran (13 June 2013). "District councils role in supporting City Deals promoted". LocalGov.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  16. "Districts make public health case". Environmental Health News. 13 February 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  17. "Community Budgets Third Report of Session 2013-14" (PDF). House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee. 9 October 2013. pp. 121–126. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  18. Wendy Wilson (21 June 2013). "Localising support for Council Tax- background" (PDF). House of Commons Library. pp. 12 and 15. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  19. "The role of local authorities in health issues Eight Report of Session 2012-13 Volume I" (PDF). House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee. 27 March 2013. pp. 185–190. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  20. "Implementation of welfare reform by local authorities Ninth Report of Session 2012-13 Volume II Additional Written Evidence" (PDF). House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee. 26 March 2013. pp. 37–39. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  21. "The Private Rented Sector First Report of Session 2013-14 Volume II Oral and Written Evidence" (PDF). House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee. 8 July 2013. pp. 295–297. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
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