Powers and Duties

What are the powers, duties and responsibilities of Parish Councillors and the Parish Council?

Local (parish and town) councillors and local council officers have different but complementary roles. Councillors, as the democratically-elected representatives of their areas, are there to set the budget and strategic direction of the council and ensure that the community’s priorities are identified and delivered. The role of officers is to advise councillors, ensure that the council’s strategy is delivered on a day-to-day basis and manage the operational and organisational side of the council. This document briefly summarises those different roles and responsibilities, it should be read alongside ‘The Good Councillors Guide’ and the Good Councillors series of publications published by NALC (https://www.nalc.gov.uk/publications#the-goodcouncillor-s-guide) and Model Councillor Officer Protocol

The document below, published by the National Association Local Councils and the Civility and Respect (in public office) project, summarises the latest guidance. 

(This page last updated, June 2024).