Do you know what you’re actually voting on at this week’s local elections in Burnley and Pendle?

When residents in six of the seven parts of Lancashire staging local elections on Thursday (7th May) cast their vote, they will be electing a council that provides only some of the services they receive.

That is because Lancashire’s local government landscape is split between different types – or ‘tiers’ – of council across most of the county.

Of the Lancashire authorities that have elections this week, the majority – Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn, Preston, Chorley and West Lancashire – are district councils. That means they each deliver the same group of services to the people living in their respective areas, while Lancashire County Council is responsible for the rest.

This division of responsibilities can cause confusion for residents. For instance, the condition of Lancashire’s roads has been in the news for much of the year – but in two-tier parts of the county, highways are under the county council’s control – not the district councils that are up for election this week.

Neither are district councils responsible for schools or social care. Instead, their focus is on services including waste collection, leisure centres, park maintenance and most planning decisions.

Potholes are amongst the issues that AREN'T the responsibility of most of the Lancashire councils with elections this week | .

placeholder image — Potholes are amongst the issues that AREN'T the responsibility of most of the Lancashire councils with elections this week | .

Some responsibilities are split between district and county councils depending on the exact nature of them or local arrangements – including car parking, museums and the arts.

Out of those councils heading to the polls on Thursday, only Blackburn with Darwen – – as a standalone authority – takes care of every council service in its patch. Lancashire County Council is not holding elections this year.

So, what exactly should locals be judging their council on if they live in Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn, Preston, Chorley or West Lancashire?

Here’s a handy guide to explain what those councils do – and don’t – look after.