The idea

To remove regulation and save money, abolish the Parish Councils.

Why is it important?

 

 

History

 

Parish councils are very old dating from the eighth century in varying forms but more recognisably from the sixteenth century. Currently they can also be known as "city council", "town council", "village council", "neighbourhood council" or "community council".

 

In past centuries they had substantial duties but these were gradually taken over by other authorities.

 

Nowadays their duties can include:-

 

Allotments

Support and encouragement of arts and crafts

Provision of village halls

Recreation grounds, parks, children's play areas, playing fields and swimming baths

Cemeteries and crematoria

Maintenance of closed churchyards

Cleaning and drainage of ponds etc.

Control of litter

Public conveniences

Creation and maintenance of footpaths and bridleways

Provision of cycle and motorcycle parking

Acquisition and maintenance of rights of way

Public clocks

War memorials

Encouragement of tourism

Bus shelters

Signposting of footpaths

Lighting of footpaths

Off-street car parks

Provision, maintenance and protection of roadside verges

 

Representative powers

 

Parish councils must be notified by the district or county council of:

 

All planning applications in their areas

Intention to provide a burial ground in the parish

Proposals to carry out sewerage works

Footpath and bridleway (more generally, 'rights of way') surveys

Intention to make byelaws in relation to hackney carriages, music and dancing, promenades, sea shore and street naming

 

Miscellaneous powers

 

In some cases parish councils possess the following powers:

 

Withholding of consent to stop up unclassified highways and footpaths

Consultation on appointment of managers of primary schools

Trustees or appointing trustees of local charities

 

Discussion

 

It will be noted that their duties:

 

1. are not essential or
2. have already been taken over (or could be taken over) by larger authorities which carry out similar duties.

 

The one major exception is Planning. Parish Councils are statutory consultees in all Planning applications. This duty could not be taken over by the next authority “up” since this is generally the authority which will grant or refuse approval. But against that many areas do not have Parish Councils so even this task cannot be counted wholly essential. Where it exists, it is certainly useful as some protection for local residents.

 

Finance

 

Funding is mainly by precept from District Council Budgets. Essentially it is a charge upon Council Tax. Some other sources may however be claimed. Amounts are hard to ascertain but in a typical small Council could be around £40,000 a year. Precepts in excess of £100,000 have to be the subject of public notice so such precepts are probably unusual. But even based on the lower figure multiplied by the 10,000 or so Parish Councils nationwide, the total bill comes to around £400,000,000 annually.

 

This is a very large sum for such a limited service. In addition Parish Councils own property, such as Recreation Grounds and Parish Halls. These are made available on licence to local groups but the charges are unlikely to be accurate in market terms.

 

Conclusion

 

Abolish the Parish Councils. Discontinue, or transfer to larger authorities, most of their duties excepting a few, like Planning, which could be transferred to the voluntary sector.

 

Although the Councils are very old, this cannot be the justification for preserving them, especially for a Government which is preparing to make radical alteration to the Second Chamber. Abolition would also save the cost of elections and reduce their numbers at a time when more elections/referenda are planned elsewhere.

 

 

 

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