The Powers of Great Bradley Parish Council

Parish Councils have accumulated and evolved powers over the years, through various Acts of Parliament. In some areas these powers are quite extensive whilst in others they are very limited or non-existent. As always, the devil is in the detail and whilst it may appear that the Council has a certain power, it may be that it is limited by a requirement to obtain the consent of another body (for example the approval of the County Council to the provision of a car park). The summaries here are brief and anyone wishing to have further information should contact the Clerk.
The list is alphabetical and those powers marked with an asterisk indicate that, in addition to exercising the power itself, the Council may also help another body to act by giving financial assistance.

Allotments
Provision and maintenance of allotments for cultivation.
Arts*
Developing and improving knowledge of the arts and the crafts which serve the arts.
Baths
Provision of baths and wash-houses (which in modern terms may mean a launderette).
Borrowing
Parish Councils can borrow money for up to a maximum of 25 years after receiving loan sanction consent (from central government). . This Council currently has no outstanding borrowings.
Cemeteries*
Provision and maintenance of burial grounds, cemeteries, crematoria, mortuaries and post-mortem rooms.
Churchyards
Power to contribute to the cost of a churchyard in use and a duty to maintain any closed churchyard where the duty has been transferred by the Church of England.
Clocks*
Provision and maintenance of public clocks, on churches or elsewhere.
Commons
Power to protect any finally registered common which has no registered owner
Crime prevention*
Installation of equipment and establishment of schemes for the detection or prevention of crime; making grants to the Police authority for these purposes.
Entertainments*
Provision of any form of public entertainment and any premises for giving entertainments (this includes maintaining bands or orchestras and providing for dancing).
Halls*
Provision of buildings for public meetings and functions, for indoor sports or physical recreation, or for the use of clubs or societies having recreational, social or athletic objectives.
Legal Proceedings
Power to prosecute and defend any legal proceedings in the interest of the inhabitants. Power to take part in any public local enquiry.
Lighting
Provision and maintenance of any footway lighting which lights roads or pavements provided the columns are not above specified heights.
Litter*
Provision of litter-bins in streets and support for anti-litter campaigns.
Open Spaces
Provision and maintenance of public open spaces, pleasure grounds and public walks.
Parking Places
Provision and management of car and cycle parks.
Parks
Provision and maintenance of public parks and appropriate facilities

Planning
Parish Councils have a right to be notified of any planning application affecting their area and to make comments which the planning authority must take into account.
Playing Fields*
Provision and maintenance of land for any kind of outdoor recreation, including boating pools.
Ponds*
Power to deal with ponds, pools or other places containing filth or matter prejudicial to health.
Post and Telephone
Power to guarantee the postal or telephone authorities against a loss on a facility
Public Lavatories
Provision and maintenance of public lavatories.
Rights of Way
Maintenance of public footpaths and bridleways.
Roadside verges
Power to plant and maintain roadside verges.
Seats*
Provision and maintenance of public seats on the highway.
Shelters*
Provision and maintenance of shelters for general public use and also particularly for bus passengers.
Signs
Power to erect signs which warn of dangers or announce a place name, or indicate a bus stop.
Swimming*
Provision of indoor or outdoor swimming pools or bathing places.
Tourism*
Provision of facilities for conferences and encouragement of recreational and business tourism.
Traffic calming
Contribution towards the cost of traffic calming works provided by highway authorities.
Transport*
Establishment of car-sharing and taxi fare concession schemes; making grants for community bus services for the elderly or disabled; investigation of public transport, road and traffic provision and needs; provision of information about public transport services.
Village Green*
Powers to maintain the village green.
General Expenditure Power
In any situation not covered by one of the specific powers described above a Council may spend money on any purpose which in its opinion is of direct benefit to its area or its inhabitants. The total expenditure by the Council on all the cases under this general power must not in any financial year exceed £3.50 per local government elector in the Parish.

 

This has been summarised from a document produced by The National Association of Local Councils, 109 Great Russell Street London, WC1B 3LD