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Levels of power · Level 2 of 10

Parish, town and community councils

The first tier of elected government: about 10,000 parish and town councils in England, community councils in Wales and Scotland, and wards and communes elsewhere. In England and Wales they can raise their own tax (a precept added to council tax bills) and run allotments, parks, halls and small public works.

What this level decides

Key figures

FigureValueSource
Parish and town councils in England (As stated by NALC, 2026)10,000National Association of Local Councils (NALC), read 23 October 2026
Councillors serving on parish and town councils in England (As stated by NALC, 2026)100,000National Association of Local Councils (NALC), read 23 October 2026
Parishes and other local precepting councils in England that charged a precept (2026-27)8,902Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), read 23 October 2026
Total parish precepts raised in England (2026-27)£942 million (up £83 million on 2025-26)Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), read 23 October 2026
Parish precepts as a share of England's total council tax requirement (2026-27)2.0% (of £46.8 billion)Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), read 23 October 2026
Average Band D parish precept where parishes charge one (2026-27)£100 (up £8, or 8.2%); NALC gives £99.79Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), read 23 October 2026
Annual investment by parish and town councils (As stated by NALC, 2026)Over £2 billionNational Association of Local Councils (NALC), read 23 October 2026
Community and town council seats up for election in Wales (Elections of May 2022, as reported 26 April 2023)7,883 (22% contested, 62% uncontested, 16% unfilled)Welsh Government, read 23 October 2026
Date the General Power of Competence came into force for eligible community and town councils in Wales (Statutory guidance page)5 May 2022Welsh Government, read 23 October 2026

How it works

In England, parish and town councils are the first tier of local government. GOV.UK says they are elected, operate below district, borough and some unitary councils, and can provide allotments, public clocks, bus shelters, community centres and play areas. NALC says there are 10,000 of them with 100,000 councillors. NALC describes them as statutory bodies that deliver local services, improve community wellbeing and give the community a voice.

Parish and town councils raise money through a precept, which NALC describes as a form of council tax. MHCLG's 2026-27 council tax release says 8,902 parishes and other local precepting councils charged a precept, raising £942 million in total, an average Band D charge of £100. The release records that no referendum principles were set for local precepting authorities in 2026-27.

GOV.UK says parish councils can also give grants to local groups and issue fixed penalty fines for litter, graffiti, fly posting and dog offences. They may provide further services by agreement with the county or district council. Parish and town councils can also lead neighbourhood plans, and MHCLG guidance sets out how they relate to the planning system, including their share of Community Infrastructure Levy receipts.

In Wales the equivalent bodies are community and town councils. The Welsh Government says 7,883 seats were up for election at the May 2022 elections, of which 62% were uncontested and 16% were left unfilled. The Welsh Government's guidance records that the General Power of Competence came into force for eligible community and town councils on 5 May 2022, widening what they can do locally.

How to have a say

  1. Find your local councillors (including parish contacts) by postcode
  2. Find your local council's website to see parish and town council arrangements for your area
  3. Read how to become a councillor, with Electoral Commission guidance for parish and community council elections
  4. Register to vote so you can vote in parish, town and community council elections
  5. Check which bodies you can send a Freedom of Information request to, and how to make one
  6. Read the types of council and what parish councils can provide

The records you can check

Official registers and data

In the UK

Around the world

The lowest tier of local government in each country, from the constitution, local government laws and national statistics offices:

Up and down the ladder

Above: Local councils. Below: Neighbourhood and community power.

Common questions

What does parish, town and community councils decide?

The parish precept: the parish's share of council tax; Allotments, village halls, play areas, cemeteries and footpaths; Comments to the planning authority on every local application; Neighbourhood plans, which carry legal weight in planning decisions once passed at a local referendum.

Which records show what parish, town and community councils do?

Each parish's precept, published by the government every year; Annual governance and accountability returns (the parish accounts); Minutes and agendas, which parish councils must publish; Neighbourhood plan referendum results.

How many parish councils are there in England?

NALC says there are 10,000 parish and town councils in England with 100,000 councillors. The count varies by source: a GOV.UK structure page says approximately 9,000, and MHCLG's 2026-27 council tax release says 8,902 parishes and other local precepting councils charged a precept. The differences reflect when and how each body counts.

What does a parish council do?

GOV.UK says parish, community and town councils are elected and can provide allotments, public clocks, bus shelters, community centres and play areas, and give grants to local groups. They can issue fixed penalty fines for litter, graffiti, fly posting and dog offences. NALC groups their work into local services, community wellbeing and giving residents a voice.

How are parish councils funded?

Mainly through a precept, which NALC describes as a form of council tax. MHCLG's 2026-27 release shows parish precepts totalled £942 million in England, 2.0% of the £46.8 billion council tax requirement. The average Band D parish precept was £100, up 8.2%. NALC puts its annual investment at over £2 billion.

How much is the parish precept on my council tax bill?

It depends on your parish. MHCLG's release gives an England average Band D parish precept of £100 for 2026-27, where parishes charge one. Your bill shows the parish element separately from the district, county and police elements. Check your council tax bill or your local council's website for your own parish figure.

Can I become a parish councillor?

GOV.UK's guide to becoming a councillor says there are rules about who can be a candidate, how you become one and how you can campaign. It links to Electoral Commission guidance on parish council elections in England, which includes town councils, and to NALC advice. Many seats go uncontested in Wales, where 62% of community council seats were uncontested in May 2022.

What are community councils in Wales?

They are the Welsh equivalent of parish councils, called community and town councils. The Welsh Government says there were 7,883 seats at the May 2022 elections. The General Power of Competence came into force for eligible community and town councils on 5 May 2022, enabling them to do more for their areas.

Sources