There are 591 town Councils in England - the vast majority have a web page (you can find them here - Index of English Parish Council Pages. I can find out about Tockwith with Wilstrop, Uffculme in Devon and Uffington in Lincolnshire. But Uttoxeter remains without a web presence for its 14,000 citizens.
Some of these councillors (predominantly one) perform, preen and posture, bully and cajole usually in private, with few observers - and even then any information has to be wrung out of them by the likes of the Audit Commitee or the interested few.
It's quite shocking and shameful - there is nowhere in cyberspace where I can find out who my town councillor is, what my council are up to, who turns up to council meetings, the minutes of the full council or any sub commitees, the decisions taken by the council - which impact us all. Why is there no effort to do this? Why do they not consider it of vital importance in a democracy - why are they there at all?
After all its not expensive - in fact it's free. I can find out what dozens of parish councils are doing across the country and across the world but as for Uttoxeter nothing, zilch de nada.
Perhaps for our councillors and clerk that tribute to scrutiny, openess and the apex of the democratic voice which is the glass panel of the left hand side door to the town hall is enough - it is our guardian and watchdog - every citizen can sleep safely knowing that an A5 slip of paper once a month taped to that special place - 'the glass panel of the left hand side door to the town hall' is our window, our forum, our democracy in action.
Parish Councils have a variety of responsibilities, powers and duties. All these are laid down in different Acts of Parliament. There are few things that a Parish Council must do, but there are many that a Parish Council may do. However Parish Councils do not have a power of general competence and can only do what they ave been given a specific power to do by statute.
A list of powers and duties is shown below. In addition, in certain situations not covered by one of the specific powers described a council may spend money on any purpose which in its opinion is of direct benefit to its area or to the inhabitants provided that the benefit derived is commensurate with the expenditure involved. The total expenditure by the council under this general power must not in any financial year exceed an amount set by the Local Government Act 2003. It was set to £5 per local government elector in the parish with effect from 1 April 2003, indexed annually inline with the RPI.
The following tables indicates the general powers and responsibilities of a Town or Parish Council in England. This is not an exhaustive list. If you wish to read the Act itself many of them are available to be read on the Internet from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office just perform a search using the name of the Act, e.g.. “Small Holding & Allotments Act 1908″. Acts of Parliament are being repealed and amended all the time so be aware that if you read something in one Act that it has not been added to or deleted since the date of publication.
Town and Parish Councils
| Function | Powers and Duties | Statutory Provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Allotments | Duty to provide allotments. Power to improve and adapt land for allotments, and to let grazing rights | Small Holding & Allotments Act 1908, ss. 23, 26, and 42 |
| Baths and washhouses | Power to provide public baths and washhouses | Public Health Act 1936, ss. 221, 222, 223 and 227 |
| Burial grounds, cemeteries and crematoria | Power to acquire and maintain Power to provide Power to agree to maintain monuments and memorials Power to contribute towards expenses of cemeteries | Open Spaces Act 1906, Ss 9 and 10; Local Government Act 1972, s. 214; Parish Councils and Burial Authorities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1970, s. 1 Local Government Act 1972, s. 214(6) |
| Bus shelters | Power to provide and maintain shelters | Local Government (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 1953, s. 4 |
| Bye-laws | Power to make bye-laws in regard to pleasure grounds Cycle parks Baths and washhouses Open spaces and burial grounds Mortuaries and post-mortem rooms | Public Health Act 1875, s. 164 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.57(7) Public Health Act 1936, s.223 Open Spaces Act 1906, s.15 Public Health Act 1936, s.198 |
| Clocks | Power to provide public clocks | Parish Councils Act 1957, s.2 |
| Closed churchyards | Powers as to maintenance | Local Government Act 1972, s.215 |
| Common pastures | Powers in relation to providing common pasture | Smallholdings and Allotments Act 1908, s.34 |
| Conference facilities | Power to provide and encourage the use of facilities | Local Government Act 1972, s.144 |
| Community centres | Power to provide and equip buildings for use of clubs having athletic, social or recreational objectives | Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 s.19 |
| Crime prevention | Powers to install and maintain equipment and establish and maintain a scheme for detection or prevention of crime | Local Government and Rating Act 1997, s.31 |
| Drainage | Power to deal with ponds and ditches | Public Health Act 1936, s.260 |
| Entertainment and the arts | Provision of entertainment and support of the arts | Local Government Act 1972, s.145 |
| Gifts | Power to accept | Local Government Act 1972, s.139 |
| Highways | Power to maintain footpaths and bridle-ways Power to light roads and public places Provision of litter bins Powers to provide parking places for bicycles and motor-cycles, and other vehicles Power to enter into agreement as to dedication and widening Power to provide roadside seats and shelters Consent of parish council required for ending maintenance of highway at public expense, or for stopping up or diversion of highway Power to complain to highway authority as to unlawful stopping up or obstruction of highway or unlawful encroachment on roadside wastes Power to provide traffic signs and other objects or devices warning of danger Power to plant trees and lay out grass verges etc. and to maintain them | Highways Act 1980, ss.43,50 Parish Councils Act 1957, s.3; Highways Act 1980, s.301 Litter Act 1983, ss.5,6 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, ss.57,63 Highways Act 1980, ss.30,72 Parish Councils Act 1957, s.1 Highways Act 1980, ss.47,116 Highways Act 1980, s.130 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.72 Highways Act 1980, s.96 |
| Investments | Power to participate in schemes of collective investment | Trustee Investments Act 1961, s.11 |
| Land | Power to acquire by agreement, to appropriate, to dispose of Power to accept gifts of land | Local Government Act 1972, ss.124, 126, 127 Local Government Act 1972, s.139 |
| Litter | Provision of receptacles | Litter Act 1983, ss.5,6 |
| Lotteries | Powers to promote | Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976, s.7 |
| Mortuaries and post mortem rooms | Powers to provide mortuaries and post mortem rooms | Public Health Act 1936, s.198 |
| Open spaces | Power to acquire land and maintain | Public Health Act 1875, s.164 Open Spaces Act 1906, ss.9 and 10 |
| Parish documents | Powers to direct as to their custody | Local Government Act 1972, s.226 |
| Telecommunications facilities | Power to pay public telecommunications operators any loss sustained providing telecommunication facilities | Telecommunications Act 1984, s.97 |
| Public buildings and village hall | Power to provide buildings for public meetings and assemblies | Local Government Act 1972, s.133 |
| Public conveniences | Power to provide | Public Health Act 1936, s.87 |
| Town and country planning | Right to be notified of planning applications | Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Sched.1, para. 8 |
| Tourism | Power to encourage visitors and provide conference and other facilities | Local Government Act 1972, s.144 |
| Traffic calming | Powers to contribute financially to traffic calming schemes | Highways Act 1980, s.274A |
| Transport | Powers in relation to car-sharing schemes, taxi fare concessions and information about transport Powers to make grants for bus services | Local Government and Rating Act 1997, s.26, 28 and 29 Transport Act 1985, s.106A |
| War memorials | Power to maintain, repair, protect and alter war memorials | War Memorials (Local Authorities’ Powers) Act 1923, s.1; as extended by Local Government Act 1948, s.133 |
| Water supply | Power to utilise well, spring or stream and to provide facilities for obtaining water from them | Public Health Act 1936, s.125 |
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