When you identify an area in which to work or to live you will need to obtain
information about your specific target location. England has a mixed pattern of
local government.
As a resident you will live in a 'Local Authority'. In some parts of the
country this will be a 'unitary' authority. This means that all the local
services you receive - schools, social services, social housing, waste disposal,
museums etc. will be provided by a single council. In other cases you will live
in a location with 'two-tier' local government. In such a case your 'District
Council' will, among other things, empty your dustbins, provide social housing,
swimming pools, parks, leisure centres, cemeteries, pest control and
environmental health services. Your 'County Council' will provide, amongst
other things, education, social services and libraries. There is no absolutely
consistent pattern but in general, large urban areas have unitary authorities
whereas areas with a greater urban and rural mix have two tiers of local
authority.
As a resident you will receive a single 'Council Tax' bill for all your local
services, irrespective of whether you are served by one council or two, this
will also include charges for police and fire services.
Diversity
The cities and regions of England are quite diverse and each offers something
distinctive. Despite the relatively small size of the country local geography,
history, industry and traditions mean that differences are apparent even over
short distances. For most visitors and permanent residents this is part of the
rich tapestry of life and is something to be celebrated.
If you are planning to live in England for any length of time you should
certainly research the distinctive characteristics of the city or region you are
contemplating.
England's weather is best described as 'changeable'. There are, of course,
clear patterns but nowhere in England can you be completely confident of
predicting the weather for more than a few days at a time.
The extremes of
weather that are usual in large continental landmasses do not apply in England.
Summers rarely get unbearably hot but nor do winters get bitterly cold. (If you
arrive from northern Australia in an English winter it will strike you as cold
but it will be nothing like as cold as central Europe or the mid-west states of
the USA).
One reason that weather is such a popular topic of conversation in
England is because it is so changeable.
In summer the south of England enjoys the warmest weather whereas the north
is cooler. In winter the main difference is between east and west. The west,
warmed by the Atlantic, is usually milder than the east. This mild air is
invariably wetter than the dry air of the east. The far north-west of England,
especially the Lake District, is much wetter than other regions largely because
of the height of the land.
Those who visit or settle in England are often
surprised by the long days that occur in summer and the short days in December.
In northern England darkness can be as short as four or five hours in June
whereas in January most people go to work in the dark and come home in the dark.
These differences in the length of daylight are because of the northerly
latitude that England occupies.
Your feelings about the English weather
will, in part, be influenced by the climate you leave behind. In summary you are
unlikely to experience extreme or unpleasant weather for a prolonged period.
Snow rarely stays on the ground for long. Heat waves rarely persist.
Remember that large cities generate their own microclimates. The centres of
most large cities are usually much warmer than their outskirts. London is a
particular case. The city is so large that the temperature rise, as you travel
from the surrounding countryside to the city centre, is very noticeable.
