Key Policies
Parish councils in their current form were created by the Local Government Act 1894. Their governance, shape and form was consolidated in the Local Government Act 1972.
A council must act within the law. It can only spend, raise or use money if it has a statutory power to do so, otherwise it acts ultra vires (beyond its powers). Parish councils have a wide range of powers under different acts of Parliament. Most of these powers are discretionary, i.e. a council may do something, rather than it must do something. To ensure consistency and transparency, a Parish Council must adopt and publish a number of governance documents that set out how it is going to operate within these discretionary powers. There are also policy documents setting out the expected conduct of the councillors and its staff.
Download Council Policies & Terms of Reference
- Policies