Council and democracy

Town and Parish Councils

There are 128 civil parishes in Hertfordshire, and they are the third tier of local government after the County and District/Borough Councils. Civil parishes are quite different from religious parishes. There are three forms of civil parish, Town Councils, Parish Councils and Parish Meetings.

They provide many local services, and speak on behalf of their local community. They vary greatly, a large Town Council can cover 35,000 people and provide a wide range of services whilst the smallest parishes may have only a hundred people and provide a very limited number of services. Parish and town councils only have to provide two services: maintaining closed Church of England churchyards and allotments; but they have wide discretionary powers to perform other services for the benefit of their electors.

Town Councils

Town Councils are just a civil parish where the title of the council is styled 'Town' rather than 'Parish' council. Similarly, the chairman of the council is styled 'Town Mayor' rather than 'Chairman'. The laws governing town councils are the same as for parish councils.

They can cover quite large populations and will often provide a wide variety of services, from leisure facilities, supporting Museums, running Tourist Information Centres, town centre closed-circuit television systems, swimming pools and parks as well as maintaining closed Church of England churchyards, halls and allotments similar to parish councils.

There are now 12 Town Councils in Hertfordshire.

Parish Councils

A typical parish council will maintain their village hall, maintain the parish churchyard, will often provide allotments, help run the tidy village competition and will comment on planning applications affecting the parish to the district council.

They often do not have a permanent office or any full-time staff and will meet in the local village hall, school or possibly in a local pub. The part-time nature should not be take as any indication of the effectiveness and efficiency of the council, as many parish councils work very hard for their electors and can run a wide range or services for their electors.

Civil Parishes can be quite small but if it has over 200 electors it has to have an elected council. If the parish has between 150-200 electors it can decide to have an elected parish council or to have a Parish Meeting. Some of the smaller parishes share a council with another parish - the councillors are elected as if the council had two wards. Four Parish Councils in Hertfordshire are shared ones; each made up from two different parishes.

Hertfordshire has 102 Parish Councils covering 106 parishes.

Parish Meetings

The smallest parishes of all do not have a Parish Council. If the parish has less than 150 electors it has a 'Parish Meeting', a meeting which all electors of the entire parish can take part - just like a large public meeting. The term 'parish meeting' can be confusing - all Parish and Town Councils must annually hold a public meeting where their electors can question them. However a 'Parish Meeting' (with a capital P and M) is quite different and is a legally recognised form of local government for the smallest parishes. A Parish Meeting elects a Chairman and a Clerk; and they become legally responsible for all decisions by the Parish Meeting.

There are 10 Parish Meetings in Hertfordshire.

Charter Trustees

Hertfordshire has never had areas with "Charter Trustees" which was another way of maintaining the traditions of an area formerly covered by a 'Municipal Borough' prior to 1974. Throughout the country many of these have been replaced by new town councils.

The trustees are the elected councillors, (of a district or borough council,) whose wards cover the area of the old council, and they look after the traditions and property of the former borough, electing a town mayor from amongst their number.

There are no Charter Trustees in Hertfordshire.

How are the Towns and Parishes Funded?

Town and Parish Councils are funded solely through Council Tax and from income from any services they provide. They do not receive Government funding or business rates.

Do they have Councillors and any staff?

Just like the county, district and borough councils, they are run by councillors elected by the electors of the area. Councillors may stand under party political colours, but many do not, especially on parish councils. Elections are held every four years. If not enough people stand for election, the council may co-opt people to fill vacancies.

Town and parish councils will appoint a Clerk to carry out and record the council's decisions and other staff as necessary. Councils have to meet at least four times a year, including the Annual General Meeting plus the parish (or town) meeting where they can be questioned by local electors. Their meetings must admit the public although for certain restricted items, (such as items about an individual staff member,) they may exclude them.

Does all of Hertfordshire have a Town or Parish Council?

Not all areas have a parish or town council, three of Hertfordshire's districts have no parishes at all, (Broxbourne, Stevenage and Watford,) and large towns such as Baldock, Hitchin, Hemel Hempstead, Potters Bar, St Albans and Welwyn Garden City do not either. These urban areas often have no history of parish or town councils. During the last decade the Government created quite a few new parish councils in unparished areas but none had been created in Hertfordshire until the creation of Letchworth in 2004 and South Mimms in 2008.

How can new parish councils be created?

New parish or town councils can be created whether or not the neighbourhood ever was a civil parish. This can be done though either the recommendations of the District or Borough Council or through a public petition.

Under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 Act, proposals for the creation of parishes may be presented to the Secretary of State, via the district council, in the form of a petition from electors in the area of the proposed parish. The petition must have at least 200 electors or 10% of the electorate of the area, which ever is greater. The district council has a right to add its comments to a proposal but cannot block a valid petition. When the Secretary of State receives a petition he may accept or reject it, or refer it to the Local Government Commission for review on the same basis as for a district council's recommendation.

The Boundaries of the new parish need to be, and be likely to remain, easily identifiable. They must fall within one district council area and must not generally cross district ward or county division boundaries.