In England alone there are over 9,000 parish councils. They are the tier of Local Government which is closest to the people.

Each parish council has a limited amount of duties. With agreement of the borough council or county council, the parish council can have wider powers - these are certain functions normally carried out by those councils.

Parish councils should maintain a close relationship with the local community. The public are encouraged to be observers at the council meetings, and may raise issues of concern.