We all rely on local government to protect us from crime, fire and environmental dangers, and to provide education, welfare, housing and sports facilities, yet many people are ignorant of how it all works. In this study, aimed at consumers and students, activists and workers in the field, Tony Byrne offers a survey of the history, structures and functions of local government, the regional, parish and county picture, the recent impact of parties and pressure groups, how councils and committees operate, and the crucial issues of control and finance. This updated sixth edition considers the extensive changes in management style and culture of recent years and the continuing moves towards the complete restructuring of local government. The latest developments and arguments are explored, as is the reality of the links between local government and local communities. By offering a balanced approach to controversial topics such as Council Tax and capping, the extension of competitive tendering/contracting out of services and the increasingly "enabling" role of local authorities, the book provides the reader with no simple answers; instead, it offers a sufficiently critical account to let us all decide for ourselves.