Canvassing questions - What's the difference between District and County councils?

On my blog www.russell4harpenden.co.uk I've been responding to questions from the doorstep as part of my District Council campaign in Harpenden East.  When I get asked specific local questions I'm adding them on Harpenden People as an easy reference too...

Another common question I get asked whilst canvassing is ‘What's the difference between the District Council and County Council?’.  Incredibly, this isn’t something that is easy to find online – so I have listed the main areas below for quick reference (with the help of Councillor Julian Daly from Harpenden West):

Summary of District Council responsibilities

Housing and Council tax benefitsCouncil tax collectionCouncil’s social housing maintenance / RepairsRefuse collectionRecyclingStreet CleansingLeisure facilities, including playgrounds & parksPlanning mattersCouncil car parksSt Albans market

Summary of County Council responsibilities

Care and support for older people & adults with mental health problemsSchoolsLibrariesRoads, pavements & rights of wayPublic transportDisposal of waste (including that collected by Districts)Strategic planning for transport, major new housing and mineral extractionTrading standardsFire & rescueRegistrars for births, deaths and marriage

There is more information about the County Council responsibilities on the  HertsDirect website here and a full list of District Council departments here on the St Albans District Council website.  A full list gleaned from the St Albans District Council website is below for quick reference too:

Full list of District Council departments

benefits and concessionary fareselectoral servicesallotmentsanti-social behaviourartscemeteriesculturecommunity developmentcommunity safetyeconomic sustainabilitygrounds maintenanceleisure contract managementheritage/museumsparks/open spacesregenerationtheatrestourismyoung peoplewaste managementstreet cleaning and street scenegreen travelclimate change and sustainabilityprivate sector housing including disabled grantsmarketshealth promotionfoodhealth and safetylicensing including taxiscar parksparkingpollution control and contaminated landoverall responsibility for the management and maintenance of council owned housing, housing options and policylocal development framework, planning policy, development and building control, archaeology, conservation, landscape and arboriculture

If you think I have missed any above – feel free to let me know and I’ll update the list.