What are the differences between a Town or Parish Council and other representative groups, such as Residents Associations?
The following table has been produced by SALC (The Surrey Association of Local Councils), with a couple of amendments (shown in italics) added.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PRECEPTING PTC COUNCILS AND INFORMAL RESIDENT GROUPS
| Precepting Parish, Town, Community Council | Non-precepting Group of Residents e.g. Resident Association |
|---|---|
| Parish councillors are elected by the local community, ensuring accountability and representation of residents' views. | Members are usually volunteers or selected by an already established group, which may not always reflect the entire community's voice. |
| It is a statutory local authority with legal powers granted under Acts of Parliament. This allows it to levy a precept to fund its activities and make legally binding decisions for its community. | Typically, an informal, voluntary group with no legal authority or power to enforce decisions or collect funds beyond voluntary contributions. No legal authority or powers to make decisions. |
| A precept allows the Council to employ a qualified trained Clerk to ensure it is effectively governed and complies with statute. Associations like SALC and NALC exist to train and support them to ensure the long term effective running of the Council. | There is no oversight of group governance and no training or advise on offer from support associations. |
| It has access to stable funding through the precept and may also apply for grants. This enables it to take on significant projects and services designed to meet its community’s needs. | Relies on donations, memberships, or fundraising, which can limit its financial capacity. Funds can vary year on year so difficult to commit to long term projects and meet community needs. |
| Can own and manage community assets (e.g. parks, village halls, allotments), maintain local infrastructure (e.g. streetlights, footpaths), and provide or fund services such as public amenities and events (e.g. Remembrance Day Parades, Christmas Lights). | Lacks the statutory powers to manage assets or services formally so they often focus on advocacy and community support. |
| It is formally recognised by higher tiers of government and statutory agencies, giving it greater influence in local decision-making and the ability to negotiate and on behalf of the community. | While it can advocate for residents, it does not have the same level of formal recognition or influence. |
| Is responsible for expenditure of Neighbourhood CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) raised from new developments within its area. | Can only propose items for the Council to consider when allocating CIL funds. |
| It creates professional ancillary statutory documents such as Neighbourhood Plans, Design Guidance etc, and are best placed to support Emergency Plans, providing a unique insight and information that higher authorities cannot know or provide. As a statutory consultee on certain matters, a TPC builds a body of expertise to ensure that a local community’s voice can be heard effectively. | Lacks formal recognition and powers to be able to create such professional and critical documentation nor the ability to be able to apply its guidance or learnings. Typically a separate organisation must be set up to create such documents. |