The role of Parish Councils

Use this page to learn about Parish Councils - what they do, how we work with them, and how to contact them.

Select any section to find out about the topic in more detail.

Parish Councils

Parish Councils are the first tier of local government. They can also be called Town, Community, Neighbourhood, or Village Councils. They belong to a distinct category of Local Authorities and are different from church parishes.

Like other types of Local Authorities, Parish Councils are involved in the delivery of services and facilities for the public.

In the Bath and North East Somerset area there are 51 Parishes (including 3 Town Councils and 3 Parish Meetings). We refer to them collectively as Parishes.

Roles and responsibilities of Parish Councils

Activities fall into three main categories:

• Representing the local community
• Delivering services to meet local needs
• Striving to improve community quality of life and wellbeing

Parishes have few statutory duties but they can exercise powers to provide or support a wide range of services to benefit their communities, such as recreational facilities, community halls, community transport, public toilets, allotments and more.

Parishes are collective decision-making bodies. Parish Councillors are elected volunteers who serve for four years. 

Parishes employ a Clerk to act as advisor and administrator to the Councillors. They may also employ additional staff, depending on the services they provide.

How Parish Council funding works

The main source of income for a Parish comes from the Precept. This is a charge to those properties in a Parish liable to pay Council Tax. The amount is set annually by the Parish Council and reflects the funding it will need for the coming year. It is added to the Council Tax bill and shown alongside other additions such as Police, Fire and Social Care.

Parishes may also obtain funds from other sources such as Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), rents and grants.

How we work with Parishes

We work closely with Parishes to provide or support local services for residents and help address areas of local concern. They also act as a voice for the communities they represent and we consult them on matters that affect their area and residents. Parishes are statutory consultees for Planning Applications.

The Parish Charter

As part of our commitment to working with Parishes, we have developed a Parish Charter. This is a framework that supports how we will work together with the Parishes to serve our residents. The Parish Charter was first adopted in 1999; and updated in 2006 and 2018.

Parish Liaison Meetings

We have a dedicated meeting for Parishes - Parish Liaison - which takes place three times a year. This enables us to discuss areas of common interest together. Parishes send their nominated representative and Clerk to the meetings. The Agendas for Parish Liaison are set in conjunction with a group of Parish representatives. The same group also works with the Council on updating the Parish Charter as required or dealing with any concerns relating to it.

Area Forums

Parishes also attend Area Forum meetings. These are based on geographic areas of the district and also discuss items of local interest. These meetings are attended by Ward Councillors and representatives of both statutory services and community groups. They are also open to the public.

Parish Information Pack

Working with our Parishes, we have created a Parish Information Pack to assist with their daily activities, particularly the common enquiries they receive from local residents. View the Parish Information Pack.

 

Find and contact your Parish Council

You can visit Parish Council websites for more information on their activities, such as when meetings take place, who the Councillors are and how to contact the Clerk.