In most studies of service provision in local authorities it is assumed that councils respond directly to service need and fiscal conditions. In this paper it is argued that this is a fallacy as responses are conditioned by the filter of political party control. With a focus on nonmetropolitan counties and metropolitan boroughs and districts, it is shown that relationships between policy variation and socioeconomic conditions vary in Conservative-dominated and Labour-dominated councils. In particular, Conservative councils respond more notably to fiscal resources, whereas Labour authorities are more responsive to service need. Examination of changes in provision show that these patterns have persisted through the 1980s.

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