Organisational Structure

The following assignment will explore the legal entity of a public sector organisation that is primarily associated with Gateshead council and how as a consequence the entities impact upon both the structure and the management of the organisation.
What is Gateshead Council?
Gateshead Council is made up of an elected assembly of 126 councilors accountable to over 513,000 people in Gateshead borough. We are responsible for providing a wide range of public services to the people of the borough. We also represent and promote the interests of Gateshead when dealing with regional, national and international affairs. Through effective local government, Gateshead Council allows local people to look after their own affairs and to decide how and where money is best spent in their area our powers and responsibilities are determined by Parliament with county council elections held every four years. The most recent election was held in May 2008.
Where did we come from?
Throughout history, Gateshead has been strategically important to settlers ranging from the Romans to the Angles, Saxons and Normans. Northumbria became the leading centre of the Christian church in Britain with the foundation of Durham Cathedral in 1093 acting as a lasting reminder of the County’s legacy to Christian worship in Britain. Following the Norman Conquests, William the Conqueror invested the Bishops of Durham with combined secular and spiritual powers to control the modern counties of Cleveland, and Tyne and Wear. The Prince Bishops levied taxes, raised armies, minted money, controlled the courts and were effectively ‘kings’ of North East England until their powers were dramatically diminished by Henry VIII in 1536. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Gateshead became a leader in the Industrial Revolution, with the county’s development based upon iron production. Gateshead Council was established, along with other county councils in England and Wales, in 1888 and started life with a small Conservative...