Parish councils are local authorities first created by statute in 1894. Parliament has given parish councils the power to raise and spend money – a power shared by other local authorities.
The parish council is the tier of local government closest to the people. In Elton we have three tiers of local government. These are:
- Elton Parish Council
- Huntingdonshire District Council
- Cambridgeshire County Council
The County Council has the responsibility for infrastructure e.g. Highways and Education. The District Council has responsibility for activities such as collection of council taxes and rates, refuse collection and planning. The Parish Council has the responsibility to allocate financial resources within the community and to represent the community in higher echelons of local and national government. The Parish Council is funded by annual precept from the district council.