Whats the difference between local and national government?

[BottleOfRum]

My local MP has just been voted in conservative, but our local councillor elections have shown we will have a Labour run council.

Can someone explain to me the difference between local and national elections, and what my local councillors have responsibility for in my borough, as opposed to what my MP has responsibility for in my borough?

Your council is responsible for collecting your bins, for providing local social services, for providing local libraries and swimming pools, for dealing with local planning applications, fixing potholes in local roads, etc. The amount of council tax you pay, and how it is spent, is controlled by the local councillors you elect.

Your MP votes on national legislation, but is informed in their judgement by contact with their local constituents. For example, important things they have voted on include tuition fees, going to war, immigration policy, how the NHS is structured and managed, how tax credits work, the Lisbon treaty for the EU, etc.