Council powers

Council Powers

A local council is a statutory local authority in its own right, having a fairly wide variety of powers conferred by many statues. A local council, being at grass roots level, has an important role in the local government field, representing the community which it is elected to serve.

N.B. The General Power of Competence will be used as the power of first resort for eligible local councils.

• Provision and management of ALLOTMENTS
• Development of the ARTS
• Provision and management of public BATHS and WASH-HOUSES (including launderettes)
• Provision and operation of BURIAL GROUNDS, cemeteries and crematoria
• Provision and maintenance of BUS SHELTERS
• Provision of BYELAWS relating to pleasure grounds, public walks, open spaces, baths, wash-houses, swimming pools
• Matters relating to CHARITIES
• Provision, maintenance and lighting of public CLOCKS
• Maintenance of closed CHURCHYARDS
• Provision, equipment and management of COMMUNITY CENTRES (including village halls)
• Payment of expenses for attendance at CONFERENCES and courses
• CONTRACTS for discharge of functions
• Draining, cleansing and treatment of DITCHES and DRAINS (including ponds, pools, streams, gutters)
• EMPLOYMENT of persons
• Provision of ENTERTAINMENTS (eg theatres, concert halls, dance halls and maintenance of bands or orchestras
• Erection of FLAGPOLES
• Public FOOTPATHS and bridleways (including creation by agreement with landowner, repair and maintenance, erection of direction posts, erection of notices warning of local dangers, prosecution for unlawful ploughing of a path or failure to restore after ploughing)
• HIGHWAYS: agreements for dedication of highway over land, planting of trees, shrubs, etc, and laying out grass verges in highway
• Provision of INFORMATION on services
• LAND: acquisition, appropriation and disposal; acceptance of gifts of property
• LEGAL PROCEEDINGS: prosecution, defence and appearances, for promotion or protection of the interests of inhabitants
• Provision of certain LIGHTING
• Prosecutions for dropping LITTER in public places, FLY POSTING and GRAFFITI
• Provision of LITTER BINS
• Organisation of LOCAL LOTTERIES
• Provision and maintenance of PARKING PLACES
• Financial support for maintenance of local POSTAL and telephone facilities
• Provision and maintenance of PUBLIC CONVENIENCES
• Appearance at PUBLIC INQUIRIES
• Contributions to MUSEUMS and art galleries
• PUBLIC OFFICES: provision, use and letting for the parish
• Provision of RECREATION including pleasure grounds, parks and public walks, playing fields, recreation centres, tennis courts, squash courts, boating, youth shelters
• Provision and maintenance of roadside SEATS and SHELTERS
• Making of STANDING ORDERS for regulation of proceedings and business as to contracts
• Promotion of TOURISM
• Maintenance, repair and protection of WAR MEMORIALS
• Limited powers to provide WATER SUPPLY
• Promotion of ENERGY SAVING MEASURES in their area