This information is produced with permission of the National
Association of Local Councils from their website. Actual
powers will vary from area to area due to agreements with
other authorities. This information is therefore for guidance
only.
Function |
Powers & Duties |
Statutory Provisions |
| |
|
|
Allotments |
Powers to provide allotments. Duty to provide allotment
gardens if demanded unsatisfied |
Small Holding & Allotments Act 1908, ss. 23,
26, and 42 |
Baths and Washhouses |
Power to provide public baths and washhouses |
Public Health At 1936, Ss 221, 222, 223 and 227 |
Burial grounds,
cemeteries and crematoria |
Power to acquire and maintain |
Open Spaces Act 1906, Ss 9 and 10; Local |
|
Power to provide |
Government Act 1972, s. 214; Parish Councils and
Burial Authorities |
|
Power to agree to maintain monuments and memorials |
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1970, s. 1 |
|
Power to contribute towards expenses of cemeteries |
Local Government Act 1972, s. 215(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 |
Public Health Act 1875, s. 164 |
|
Cycle Parks |
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.57(7) |
|
Baths and Washhouses |
Public Health Act 1936, s.223 |
|
Open spaces and burial grounds |
Open Spaces Act 1906, s.15 |
|
Mortuaries and post-mortem rooms |
Public Health Act 1936, s.198 |
harities |
Duty to receive accounts of parochial charities |
Charities Act 1960, s.32 |
Clocks |
Power to provide public clocks |
Parish Councils Act 1957, s.2
|
Closed Churchyards |
Powers as to maintenance |
Local Government Act 1972, s.215 |
Commons and common pastures |
Powers in relation to enclosure, as to regulation
and management, and as to providing common pasture |
Enclosure Act 1845;Local Government Act 1894, s.8(4);
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 educational objectives |
Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
1976 s.19 |
Crime prevention |
Powers to spend money on various crime prevention
measures |
Local Government and Rating Act 1997, s.31 |
Drainage |
Power to deal with ponds and ditches |
Public Health Act 1936, s.260 |
Education |
Right to appoint school governors |
Education (No.2) Act 1986, s.4 |
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 repair and maintain public footpaths and
bridle-ways |
Highways Act 1980, ss.43,50 |
|
Power to light roads and public places |
Parish Councils Act 1957, s.3; |
|
Provision of litter bins |
Highways Act 1980, s.301 |
|
Power to provide parking places for vehicles, bicycles
and motor-cycles |
Litter Act 1983, ss.5,6 |
|
Power to enter into agreement as to dedication
and widening |
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, ss.57,63 |
|
Power to provide roadside seats and shelters, and
omnibus shelters |
Highways Act 1980, ss.30,72 |
|
Consent of parish council required for ending maintenance
of highway at public expense, or for stopping up
or diversion of highway |
Parish Councils Act 1957, s.1
Highways Act 1980, ss.47,116 |
|
Power to complain to district council as to protection
of rights of way and roadside wastes |
Highways Act 1980, s.130 |
|
Power to provide traffic signs and other notices |
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.72 |
|
Power to plant trees etc. and to maintain roadside
verges |
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 |
|
Power to accept gifts of land |
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 |
Nuisances |
Power to deal with offensive ditches |
Public Health Act 1936, s.260 |
Open spaces |
Power to acquire land and maintain |
Public health Act 1875, s.164
Open Spaces Act 1906,
ss.9 and 10 |
Parish Property and documents |
Powers to direct as to their custody |
Local Government Act 1972, s.226 |
Postal and telecommunications facilities |
Power to pay the Post Office, British Telecommunications
or any other public telecommunications operator
any loss sustained providing post or telegraph office
or telecommunication facilities |
Post Office Act 1953, s.51;Telecommunications Act
1984, s.97 |
Public buildings and
village hall |
Power to provide buildings for offices and for
public meetings and assemblies |
Local Government Act 1972, s.133 |
Public Conveniences |
Power to provide |
Public Health Act 1936, s.87 |
Recreation |
Power to acquire land for or to provide recreation
grounds, public walks, pleasure grounds and open
spaces and to manage and control them |
Public Health Act 1875, s.164
Local Government Act 1972, Sched.14 para.27
Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1890 s.44 |
|
Power to provide gymnasiums, playing fields, holiday
camps |
Open Spaces Act 1906, ss.9 and 10 |
|
Provision of boating pools |
Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
1976, s.19
Public Health Act 1961, s.54 |
Town and
Country Planning |
Right to be notified of planning applications |
Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Sched.1, para.8 |
Tourism |
Power to contribute to organisiations encouraging |
Local Government
Act 1972, s.144 |
Traffic Calming |
Powers to contribute financially to traffic calming
schemes |
Local Government and Rating Act 1997, s.30 |
Transport |
Powers to spend money on community transport schemes |
Local Government and Rating Act 1997, s.26-29 |
War memorials |
Power to maintain, repairs, protect and adapt 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 therefrom |
Public Health Act 1936, s.125 |
