Parish Councils are democratically elected local authorities with duties, powers and
privileges conferred by Acts of Parliament. They have much wider powers than people
realise and can tackle many ambitious projects, providing they have the support of their
local community who have to pay for all activities through the parish rate. Here are some
services parish councils can provide:
Allotments
Car and cycle parks
Community halls
Village greens
Sports pitches
Seats, bus shelters
Notice Boards
Lighting
Litter bins
Playgrounds
Play areas
Recreational facilities
Tourist promotion material
Trade fairs
As the closest local authority tier to ordinary people, they are useful touchstones
of local opinion and are widely consulted by other tiers of government on a variety of
topical issues.
Parish councils have powers to:
Comment on planning applications and the Local Plan
