What does the Council do?

What is a Town Council?

Town Councils are statutory bodies and are local authorities in their own right.  They have a range of statutory powers and so act within a body of legislation.  They are the most local level of government and are sometimes described as the tier of local government closest to the people.

As such councils represent the concerns and aspirations of a genuine local community.  They are not a voluntary organisation, a charity, nor anything to do with the Church.

Because Town Councils are statutory bodies, they must operate within strict guidelines and laws, town councillors will be expected to understand the nature of the council and what they can and can’t do as councillors.

What must a Town Council do?

The Council has the duty to ensure that all the rules for the administration of the Council are followed. The Council must:

• Appoint a Chairman.
• Appoint a Clerk.
• Appoint a Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) to manage the finances in a sound and professional manner.
• Appoint an independent and competent internal auditor.
• Councillors have to follow a code of conduct detailed by Parliament.

Things we are not responsible for:

Town councils are not responsible for any of the following:

• Highways Issues, including parking, street lights and footpaths
• Bin collections and local refuse/recycling centers