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Herefordshire Association of Local Councils

What is a Parish/Town Council?

Parish and town councils in England are the first tier of local government:

Local government tier system

A Parish Council is a statutory local authority set up under the Local Government Act 1972. Councillors are elected every four years and a clerk is employed to organise meetings, carry out the council’s decisions and give advice on any legal issues or new legislation. (The Clerk is the only paid person to serve a council but does not vote or make decisions for the council.)

Parish or town councils are the form of local government closest to the people. They are required to be representative of their community and often take a lead in raising issues affecting the interests of its area with the county council or central government.

With growing environmental concerns, we are being asked to think locally, rather than globally. The parish council has therefore an increasingly important role in promoting and maintaining sustainable communities.

There are 134 parish and town councils in Herefordshire and 4 parish meetings. Click here to view the outline area of each council.