NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+

NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
2026 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+


◉ is ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH the responsibility of district /
borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county
councils? Answer: district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities


◉ is PLANNING PERMISSION the responsibility of district / borough /
metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
Answer: district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities


◉ is HOUSING AND HOMELESS the responsibility of district /
borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county
councils? Answer: district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary
authorities


◉ are CAR PARKS the responsibility of district / borough /
metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
Answer: district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities

,◉ is COUNCIL TAX the responsibility of district / borough /
metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
Answer: district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities


◉ is REFUSE COLLECTION (waste, recycling) the responsibility of
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of
county councils? Answer: district / borough / metropolitan borough /
unitary authorities


◉ is EDUCATION the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan
borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils? Answer: county
councils


◉ are SOCIAL SERVICES the responsibility of district / borough /
metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
Answer: county councils


◉ are ROADS the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan
borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils? Answer: county
councils


◉ are CULTURAL AND LEISURE SERVICES the responsibility of
district / borough / metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of
county councils? Answer: county councils

,◉ is TRANSPORT the responsibility of district / borough / metropolitan
borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils? Answer: county
councils


◉ is REFUSE DISPOSAL the responsibility of district / borough /
metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
Answer: county councils


◉ is EMERGENCY PLANNING the responsibility of district / borough
/ metropolitan borough / unitary authorities, or of county councils?
Answer: county councils


◉ what kind of council is an authority which is the sole principal council
for its local government area? Answer: unitary council


◉ in 1986, what did the tories replace most of the two-tier structures
with because they thought two-tier structures were a waste of resources?
Answer: unitary councils


◉ what piece of legislation is the two-tier structure of government based
on? and when was it implemented? Answer: local government act 1972,
1974


◉ unitary councils are the norm everywhere except which nation?
Answer: england

, ◉ what do you call the structures in places which have BOTH unitary
AND two-tier structures in their areas? Answer: hybrid structures


◉ what is an example of a place that has a hybrid structure with
councils? Answer: east sussex (brighton and hove city council which is
unitary, and east sussex county council which are several other district
councils, i.e. eastbourne borough council)


◉ which councils are the lowest form of government? (2). Answer:
parish councils, town councils


◉ what year were combined authorities first established? where?
Answer: 2011, greater manchester


◉ what piece of legislation describes the scope of the powers for
combined authorities? Answer: cities and local government devolution
act 2016


◉ which kinds of authorities borrow money from the open market to
make investments? Answer: combined authorities


◉ London's authority has a ___ ____ ____ overseeing __ second-tier
councils. Answer: Greater London Authority, 33