Parish Council

Background

Historically, or at least prior to 1894, powers and duties in the community were administered by churchwardens and overseers of the poor but, with the introduction of the Local Government Act of 1894, parish councils became the first level of local government.

Parish councils are non-political and their remit is to maintain, develop and improve the local environment and facilities in such a way that satisfies the wishes of their electorate. This means that they get involved, for example, in planning, highways, traffic, rights of way - in fact anything that affects or might affect local parish life.

The Local Government Act 1972 is the one most often referred to when describing the modern powers and responsibilities of parish councils but this is augmented by many earlier and later Acts – such as The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which gave the ability to pay for measures to combat crime and the fear of crime in parishes – and the Localism Act 2011.

Parish Councils can only spend public money on projects for which they have a statutory power. There are, just as there was back in 1894, only two powers which a Parish Council has a duty to consider using if requested to do so. One is to provide allotments 'for the labouring poor' (should a site be available); the second is to provide alternative burial grounds in cases where the Home Office closes an existing site, such as a full churchyard. The use of all other statutory powers is voluntary and parish councils are not obliged (and not generally funded) to exercise them.