The Powers and Duties of Parish Councils

The following are all under the remit of parish councils:

Allotments Powers to provide allotments.
Duty to provide allotment gardens if demand unsatisfied.
Small Holdings Act 1908 ss23,26 & 42
Archives Power to make records held available to the public and to support local archivesLocal Government Records Act 1962 ss1 & 4
Baths & Washouses Power to provide public baths and washhouses Public Health Act 1936 ss221, 222, 223 & 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

Parish Councils and Burial Authorities

(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1970 s1
Power to contribute towards expenses of cemeteries

Local Government Act 1972 s214 (6)

Bus Shelters Power to provide and maintain shelters Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1953 s4
Bye Laws Powers to make Bye Laws in regards to pleasure grounds

Cycle Parks

Baths and Washhouses

Open Spaces and Burial Grounds

Mortuaries and Post-Mortem Rooms

Public Health Act 1875 s164

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 s57

Public Health Act 1936 s223

Open Spaces Act 1906 ss12 & 15

Public Health Act 1936 c198

Car Sharing Schemes Power to establish, maintain and assist others Local Government and Rating Act 1997 s26
Charities Duty to receive accounts of parochial charities Charities Act 1960 s32
ClocksPower to provide public clocks Parish Councils Act 1957 s2
Closed Churchyards Powers as to maintenance Local Government Act 1972 s215
Commons and Common PasturesPowers in relation to enclosure, as to regulation and management, and as to providing common pastureEnclosure Act 1845;
Local Government Act 1894 s8(4);
Smallholdings & Allotmentst Act 1908 s34;
Commons Act 1899
Conference Facilities Power to provide and encourage the use of facilities Local Government Act 1972 s144
Community Centres Power to provide and equip buildings for use of clubs having athletic, social or educational objectives Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 s19
Delegated Functions Power to assume a function delegated by another authority

Power to ensure effective discharge of Council functions

Power to employ persons to carry out Council functions

Power to deal with ponds/ditches, agreements with landowners and with English Nature to manage Council-owned reserve land as a nature reserve

Local Government Act 1972 ss101, 111 & 112

as above

as above

Public Health Act 1936 s260

Legal Proceedings Power to prosecute or defend Local Government Act 1972 s222
Listed Buildings Power to contribute to the preservation of historic buildings Essex Act 1987 s48
LitterProvision of receptacles Litter Act 1983 ss5.6
LotteriesPower to promote Lotteries & Amusements Act 1976 s7
NuisancesPower to deal with offensive ditches Public Health Act 1936 s260
Open Spaces Power to acquire land and maintain Public Health Act 1975 s164; Open Spaces Act 1906 ss9 & 10; Commons Act 1899
Parish Property and Records Powers to direct as to their custody Local Government Act 1972 s226
PlanningRight to be notified of and power to respond to planning applications Town & Country Planning Act 1990 s1 ss8;
Local Government Act 1972 s15 ss20
Postal and telecommunications facilitiesPower to pay the Post Office, British Telecommunications or any other public telecommunications operator any loss sustained in providing post or telegraph office or telecommunications facilitiesPost Office Cat 1953 s51;
Telecommunications Act 1984 s97
Public Buildings and Village HallsPower to provide Public Health Act 1936 s87
Public Conveniences Power to provide as above
Public Enquiries Power to make representations at public enquiries Local Government Act 1982 s222
Publicise Functions Powers to publicise council and local authority functions Local Government Act 1982 s142
Raising of Finances Power to raise money through the precept Local Government Act 1982 s150
RecreationPower to acquire land for or to provide recreation grounds, public walks, pleasure grounds and open spaces and to manage and control them

Power to provide gymnasiums, playing fields and holiday camps

Provision of boating pools

Public Health Act 1875 s164; Local Government Act 1972 s14 ss27; Public Health Acts Amendments Acts 1890 s44; Open Spaces Act 1906 ss9 & 10; Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 s19; Commons Act 1899

as above

Public Health Act 1961 s54

Taxi Fare Concessions Power to reimburse operator Local Government and Rating Act 1997 s28
TourismPower to contribute to organisations encouraging Local Government Act 1972 s144
Transport and Traffic Power to conduct surveys to establish the transport needs of the community, the use of and need for roads and the management and control of traffic

Power to collect and disseminate passenger transport information and make grants for bus services

Powers to contribute financially to traffic calming schemes

Local Government and Rating Act 1997 s29

Local Government and Rating Act 1997 s29 (2) 27

Local Government and Rating Act 1997 s26

TrainingPowers to train Councillors Local Government Act 1972 s175
TransportPowers to spend money on community transport schemes Local Government and Rating Act 1997 ss26-29
War Memorials Power to maintain, repair and adapt war memorials War Memorials (Local Authorities Powers) Act 1923 s1; as extended by Local Government Act 1948 s123
Water Supply Powers to utilise well, spring or stream and to provide facilities for obtaining water there from Public Health Act 1936 s125