Parish Councils

Parishes are the smallest areas of civil administration in England and provide the statutory tier of local government closest to the people.

There are 10,200 parishes in England and nearly 9,000 have Town or Parish Councils which are elected every four years. The remainder have Parish Meetings which are required to meet at least twice a year.

Town and Parish Councils have a wide range of duties and powers, such as the maintenance of community buildings and land. They have the power to raise money through local council tax. Town and Parish Councils are an essential part of the structure of local democracy and have a vital role in speaking and acting on behalf of the communities they represent. They help the other tiers of local government to keep in touch with their local communities.

To find out more about Parish Councils in Cumbria, visit the Cumbria Associations of Local Councils' website at http://www.calc.org.uk/.