Information on Local or Parish Councils

Local or Parish Councils are the first tier of local government and play a vital role in engaging with local people and helping to shape their communities. They are generally referred to as local councils or parish and town councils and are uniquely placed to make a major contribution to localism.

Milton Keynes has 48 parishes each with its own governing body. These include 29 Parish Councils, 7 Town Councils, 5 Community Councils  and 7 Parish Meetings.

How do they work?

Each Local Council is a corporate body, a legal entity separate from that of its members. It is an elected body in the first tier of local government and the decisions are the responsibility of the whole body.  Local councils have the legal power to take action, but they have very few duties and greater freedom to choose the communities they serve and improve the quality of life and the local environment. Furthermore they influence other decision makers and can, in many cases, deliver services to meet local needs.