Powers and duties of Parish Councils

List of powers available

Parish Councils have a wide range of powers and duties.

Duties: A duty is an activity that must be carried out (mandatory), for example, local councils must appoint a chairman and a clerk.

Powers: Statutory powers, granted by Parliament give local councils the choice or opportunity to take action and are therefore discretionary.

The powers which have been vested in Parish, Town and Community Councils by Acts of Parliament are summarised below. Each description is intended to be a general indication and it is not a complete list of every single power and duty and may be subject to change as Parliament and the Courts change the law or the way it is applied.

Like all powers given to public bodies the powers of local councils are defined in detail in legislation and these details may include a requirement to obtain the consent of another body, such as East Lindsey District Council, Lincolnshire County Council or the Secretary of State. Local Councils must also exercise their powers subject to the provisions of the general law.

Table of details

The following table describes the powers and duties held by local councils for a number of functions. It also provides details of the regulations under which statutory provisions are made. Information on all these details can usually be found online or in the case of a specific issue affecting Mareham le Fen from the parish council Clerk. Where a function is marked with an asterisk (*) a council also has the power to give financial assistance to another person or body performing the same function. Remember that this is not an exhaustive list. 

This table is not an authoritative statement of the law.  It may indicate where certain powers and duties relevant to the parish council may be found. 

Abbreviations used 'LGA' means Local Government Act; 'S' means Section; 'Sch' means Schedule;

Function Powers and Duties  Statutory Provision
Accounts  Duty to appoint a Responsible Financial Officer to manage the council's finances. LGA 1972 S.151
Acceptance of Office Duty to sign declaration of acceptance of office (councillors and chairman) LGA 1972 S.83
Agency arrangements  Power to arrange for the discharge of functions by another local authority LGA 1972 S.101
Allotments Power to provide allotments/ duty to provide allotment gardens where the demand exists Smallholdings and Allotments Act 1908, Ss.23,26,42
Baths and wash houses Power to provide public baths and wash houses Public Health Act 1936, Ss.221-223, 227
Borrowing Power to borrow money for statutory functions LGA 1972, Sch 13
Burial Grounds, cemeteries and crematoria* Power to acquire and maintain Open Spaces Act 1906, Ss. 9 and 10
  Power to provide LGA 1972, S.214
  Power to agree to maintain memorials and monuments Parish Councils and Burial Authorities (Micelaneous Provisions) Act 1970, S.1
  Power to contribute to expenses of maintaining cemeteries LGA 1972, S.214(6)
Bus Shelters* Power to provide and maintain bus shelters Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1953, S.4
Byelaws Power to make byelaws for public walks and pleasure grounds Public Health Act 1875, S.164
  Cycle Parks Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, S.57(7)
  Baths and washhouses Public Health Act 1936, S.233
  Open Spaces and burial grounds Open Spaces Act 1906, S.15
Celebrations and national events Power to facilitate a function, power to facilitate a religious or similar event, power to provide information, power to encourage visitors, power to provide entertainment. LGA 1972, Ss. 111, 138B, 142, 144, 145.
Charities  Power to appoint trustees of parochial charities Chairites Act 1993 S.79
Christmas Lights  Power to atract visitors LGA 1972, S.144
Citizens Advice Power to Support LGA 1972, S.142
Clocks*  Power to provide public clocks Parish Councils Act 1957, S.2
Closed Churchyards Power (and sometimes duty) to maintain LGA 1972, S.215
Commons and common pastures Powers in relation to enclosure, regulation and management, and providing common pasture Inclosure Act 1845; LGA 1894, S.8(4); Smallholdings and Allotments Act 1908 S.34
Community Centres Power to provide and equip community buidings LGA 1972, S.133
  Power to provide building for use of clubs having athletic, social or educational objectives. LGA (Miscellaneous Provisions) 1976, S.19
Conference Facilities* Power to provide and encourage the use of conference facilities  LGA 1977, S.144
Consultation Right to be consulted by principal councils if directed by Secretary of State. Local Government and Rating Act 1997, S.21; LGA 1972, S.33A
Crime prevention* Power to spend money on various crime prevention measures Local government and Rating Act 1997, S.31
Drainage Power to deal with ditches and ponds Public Health Act 1936, S.260
Entertainment and the Arts* Provision of entertainment and support for the arts including festivals and celebrations LGA 1972, S.145
Flagpoles Power to erect flagpoles in the highways Highways Act 1980, S.144
Free Resource Power to incur expenditure not otherwise authorised on anything which in the council's opinion is in the interests of the area or part of it or all or some of the inhabitants. LGA 1972, S.137
Gifts  Power to accept gifts LGA 1972, S.139
Highways  Power to maintain footpaths and bridleways Highways Act 1980, S.43, S.50
  Power to light roads and public places Parish Councils Act 1967, S.3
  Power to provide parking places for vehicles, bicycles and motorcycles Road Traffic Regulation Act, S.57
  Power to make a dedication agreement for a new highway or widening of an existing highway Highways Act 1980, S.30, S.72
  Right to veto applicaion to magistrates court to stop up, divert or cease to maintain a public highway Highways Act 1980, S. 47, S.116
  Power to complain to a local highway authority that a highway is unlawfully stopped up or obstructed Highways Act 1908, S.130
  Power to plant trees, etc and maintain roadside verges Highways Act 1980,S. 96
  Power to prosecute for unlawful ploughing of a footpath or bridleway Highways Act 1980, S.134
  Power to provide traffic signs and other notices Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, S.72
Interests Duty to declare an interest LGA 1972, S.94
Investments Power to participate in schemes of collective investment Trustee Act 1961 S.11
Land Power to acquire land by agreement, to appropriate land and to dispose of land LGA 1972, S.124, S.126, S.127
  Power to acquire land by compulsory purchase LGA 1972 S.125
  Power to accept gifts of land LGA 1972 S.139
  Power to obtain particulars of persons interested in land LGA (Miscellaneous Provisions) 1976 S.16
Lighting Power to light roads and public places Parish Councils Act 1967, S.7
Litter* Power to provide litter bins in streets and public places  Litter Act 1983, S.5, S.6
Lotteries Power to promote lotteries Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976, S.7
Meetings Duty to hold annual parish meeting LGA 1972, Sch 12 paragraph 23
  Duty to hold annual parish council meeting LGA 1972 Sch 12 paragraph 7
  Power to convene a parish meeting LGA 1972 Sch 12 paragraph 14
Mortuaries and post-motem rooms Power to provide mortuaries and post-mortem rooms Public Health Act 1936, S.198
Newsletters  Power to provide information relating to matters affecting local government LGA 1972, S.142
Nuisances* Power to deal with offensive ponds, ditches and gutters Public Health Act 1936, S.260
Open Spaces Power to acquire and maintain open spaces  {ublic Health Act 1875, S.164 Open Spaces Act 1906 S.9, S.10
Parish documents Power to give directions as to custody of parish documents LGA 1972, S.226
Parking facilities Power to provide parking places for motor vehicles and bicycles  Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, S.57, S.63
Parks and pleasure grounds Power to acquire land or to provide recreation grounds, public walsk, pleasure grounds and open spaces and to manage and control them Public Health Act 1875, S.164; LGA 1972 Sch 14 paragraph 27; Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1890, S.44
Public buidlings and village halls Power to provide buildings for offices and for public metings and assemblies LGA 1972 S.133
Public conveniences Power to provide public conveniences Public Health Act 1936, S.87
Publicity Power to provide information about matters affecting local government LGA 1972, S.142
Records Power to collect, exhibit and purchase local records Local Government (Records) Act 1962 S.1,S.2
Recreation* Power to provide a wide range of recreational facilities Open Spaces Act 1906, Ss9-10, LGA(Miscellaneous Provisions) 1976, S.19.
  Provision of boating pools Public Health Act 1961, S.54
Seats and Shelters* Power to provide roadside seats and shelters Parish Councils act 1957, S.54
Town and Country Planning Right to be notified of planning applications  Town and Country Planning Act  1990, Sch 1, paragraph 8
Town Status Power to adopt town status LGA 1972, S.245, S.245B
Tourism* Power to contribute to encouragement of tourism LGA 1972, S.144
Traffic calming Power to contribute to the cost of traffic calming measures  Highways Act 1980, S274A
Transport* Power to a) establish car-sharing schemes; b) make grants for bus services; c) provide taxi-fare concessions; d) investigate public transport; e) provide information about public transport services Local Government and Rating Act 1997, S.26; Transport Act 1985, S.106A
Village signs Power to use decorative signs to inform visitors LGA 1972, S.144
Village greens* Power to maintain, to make bylaws for and to prosecute for interference with village greens Open Spaces Act 1906, S.15; Inclosure Act 1857, S.12; Commons Act 1876, S.29
Village halls (see Community Centres and Public Buildings)  
War Memorials  Power to maintain, repair and protect war memorials  War Memorials (Local Authorities Powers) Act 1923, S.1 as extended by LGA 1948, S.133
Water Supply Power to utilise any well, spring or stream to provide facilities for obtaining water from them.

Public Health Act 1936, S.125