Function

Powers & Duties

Statutory Provisions

Allotments

Duty to provide allotments. Power
to improve and adapt land for
allotments, and to let grazing
rights

Small Holding & Allotments Act
1908, ss. 23, 26, and 42

Baths and
washhouses

Power to provide public baths and
washhouses

Public Health Act 1936, ss. 221,
222, 223 and 227

Burial grounds,
cemeteries and
crematoria

Power to acquire and maintain
Power to provide
Power to agree to maintain
monuments and memorials
Power to contribute towards
expenses of cemeteries

Open Spaces Act 1906, Ss 9 and
10; Local Government Act 1972,
s. 214; Parish Councils and Burial
Authorities (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 1970, s. 1
Local Government Act 1972, s. 214(6)

Bus shelters

Power to provide and maintain
shelters

Local Government (Miscellaneous
Provision) Act 1953, s. 4

Bye-laws

Power to make bye-laws in regard
to pleasure grounds
Cycle parks
Baths and washhouses
Open spaces and burial grounds
Mortuaries and post-mortem rooms

Public Health Act 1875, s. 164
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984,
s.57(7)
Public Health Act 1936, s.223
Open Spaces Act 1906, s.15
Public Health Act 1936, s.198

Clocks

Power to provide public clocks

Parish Councils Act 1957, s.2

Closed churchyards

Powers as to maintenance

Local Government Act 1972,
s.215

Common pastures

Powers in relation to providing
common pasture

Smallholdings and Allotments Act
1908, s.34

Conference facilities

Power to provide and encourage
the use of facilities

Local Government Act 1972,
s.144

Community centres

Power to provide and equip
buildings for use of clubs having
athletic, social or recreational
objectives

Local Government (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 1976 s.19

Crime prevention

Powers to install and maintain
equipment and establish and
maintain a scheme for detection
or prevention of crime

Local Government and Rating Act
1997, s.31

Drainage

Power to deal with ponds
and ditches

Public Health Act 1936, s.260

Entertainment and
the arts

Provision of entertainment and
support of the arts

Local Government Act 1972,
s.145

Gifts

Power to accept

Local Government Act 1972,
s.139

Highways

Power to maintain footpaths and
bridle-ways
Power to light roads and public
places
Provision of litter bins
Powers to provide parking places
for bicycles and motor-cycles, and
other vehicles
Power to enter into agreement as
to dedication and widening
Power to provide roadside seats
and shelters
Consent of parish council required
for ending maintenance of
highway at public expense, or for
stopping up or diversion of
highway
Power to complain to highway
authority as to unlawful stopping
up or obstruction of highway or
unlawful encroachment on
roadside wastes
Power to provide traffic signs and
other objects or devices warning
of danger
Power to plant trees and lay out
grass verges etc. and to maintain
them

Highways Act 1980, ss.43,50
Parish Councils Act 1957, s.3;
Highways Act 1980, s.301
Litter Act 1983, ss.5,6
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984,
ss.57,63
Highways Act 1980, ss.30,72
Parish Councils Act 1957, s.1
Highways Act 1980, ss.47,116
Highways Act 1980, s.130
Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984,
s.72
Highways Act 1980, s.96

Investments

Power to participate in schemes of
collective investment

Trustee Investments Act 1961,
s.11

Land

Power to acquire by agreement, to
appropriate, to dispose of
Power to accept gifts of land

Local Government Act 1972,
ss.124, 126, 127
Local Government Act 1972,
s.139

Litter

Provision of receptacles

Litter Act 1983, ss.5,6

Lotteries

Powers to promote

Lotteries and Amusements Act
1976, s.7

Mortuaries and post
mortem rooms

Powers to provide mortuaries and
post mortem rooms

Public Health Act 1936, s.198

Open spaces

Power to acquire land and maintain

Public Health Act 1875, s.164 Open
Spaces Act 1906, ss.9 and 10

Parish documents

Powers to direct as to their custody

Local Government Act 1972,
s.226

Telecommunications
facilities

Power to pay public
telecommunications operators any
loss sustained providing
telecommunication facilities

Telecommunications Act 1984,
s.97

Public buildings and
village hall

Power to provide buildings for
public meetings and assemblies

Local Government Act 1972,
s.133

Public conveniences

Power to provide

Public Health Act 1936, s.87

Recreation

Power to acquire land for or to
provide public walks, pleasure
grounds and open spaces and to
manage and control them
Power to provide gymnasiums,
playing fields, holiday camps
Provision of boating pools

(see Local Government Act 1972,
Sched.14 para.27)
Public Health Act 1875, s.164
Public Health Acts Amendment
Act 1890 s.44
Open Spaces Act 1906, ss.9 and 10
Local Government (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 1976, s.19
Public Health Act 1961, s.54

Town and country
planning

Right to be notified of planning
applications

Town and Country Planning Act
1990, Sched.1, para. 8

Tourism

Power to encourage visitors and
provide conference and other
facilities

Local Government Act 1972,
s.144

Traffic calming

Powers to contribute financially to
traffic calming schemes

Highways Act 1980, s.274A

Transport

Powers in relation to car-sharing
schemes, taxi fare concessions and
information about transport
Powers to make grants for bus
services

Local Government and Rating Act
1997, s.26, 28 and 29
Transport Act 1985, s.106A

War memorials

Power to maintain, repair, protect
and alter war memorials

War Memorials (Local Authorities’
Powers) Act 1923, s.1; as
extended by Local Government
Act 1948, s.133

Water supply

Power to utilise well, spring or
stream and to provide facilities for
obtaining water from them

Public Health Act 1936, s.125