Parish and Town Councils in England, and Community and Town councils in Wales, are the first tier of local government. They deliver a vast range of services at a community level. There are around 10,000 community, parish and town councils in England and Wales, made up of nearly 100,000 councillors. These first-tier councils can respond to the needs of the community – delivering the services or representation they most need.
What parishes do
Town and Parish Councils have wide ranging powers to represent the whole electorate within the area, delivering services and facilities to meet local needs and striving to improve the quality of life.
Activities in which the Parish Council can get involved will include allotments, youth projects, leisure facilities, open spaces, traffic calming and community transport schemes. For a full list have a look at the NALC page (link will open in a new window).
If you are interested in becoming a local councillor, visit your local Town and Parish Council, talk to exisiting councillors, visit the National Assocation of Local Councils (NALC) website, or talk to the Electoral Services department at St Albans Council.
Parish Charter
The aim of the Parish Charter is to improve joint working between the three tiers of local government: county; district and parish, so that services are more efficient and responsive to the needs of local communities by providing best value and quality.
The key principles are:
Trust and mutual respect
Communication
Consultation
Advice and support
Collaboration and service delivery
Better Value
The full Charter can be accessed here:
Contact your parish council
Click on this link to find out the details of your local parish council.
Date of last review: 28 June 2010