What is a Parish Council?

Parish councils are the first tier of local government in England and Wales and are closest to the people.

They serve the smallest area and are responsible for the most local of matters.

Parish councils have a number of basic responsibilities, including:

·         representing the whole electorate within the parish;

·         delivering services to meet local needs;

·         striving to improve quality of life in the parish

They can be responsible for providing a range of community services, such as:

·         Street lighting

·         Local transport and traffic services

·         Recreation grounds

·         War memorials

·         Seating and shelters

·         Rights of way

Even where the county or borough councils are responsible for providing and maintaining the services mentioned above, residents may prefer to contact their parish council in regards to such local matters because of their smaller, less intimidating size and because they may be more in touch with their community’s needs.

The council is also the first point of contact for aspiring local projects. It is their responsibility to help get schemes underway by providing initial funding and space for public use.

The parish council must be notified of any planning application or highway development planned for the area if they so wish. On some occasions the council’s approval is also needed for any work to go ahead.