D.25 Parish and town councils are the most local level of government in England. They are elected bodies which represent theiR communities and provide services to them. Parish and town councils vary enormously in size, activities and circumstances. They represent
populations ranging from less than 100 to up to 70,000, but the
majority of them are small with around 80 per cent representing
populations of less than 2,500.
D.26 There are currently over 10,000 parishes in England with
around 2,000 in the South West region. The business of the parish is
conducted either through a parish council or, in some locations, a
parish meeting. In some areas, a number of smaller parishes may come
together to be represented through a single forum. Historically, parish
councils were a characteristic of rural areas. However, a number have
now been created in more urban areas.
D.27 The responsibilities of parish and town councils vary
depending on how large and how active they are and local authorities can
devolve additional functions and budgets to them. Responsibilities
falling to a council can include: street lighting, footpath maintenance,
community transport initiatives, crime prevention, managing cemeteries,
allotments, commons, playgrounds, village halls, war memorials and
markets. Parish and town councils must also be notified of all planning
applications and consulted on the making of certain bye-laws. For more
information on parish and town councils, see the All about parish and
town councils booklet available from the National Association of Local
Councils website.
