The
Parish Council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and
Neighbourhood Watch (UK) groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the
village hall or
community centre,
playing fields and
playgrounds, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to the council. The parish falls within the
unitary authority of
Bath and North East Somerset which was created in 1996, as established by the
Local Government Act 1992. It provides a single tier of
local government with responsibility for almost all local government functions within its area including
local planning and
building control, local roads,
council housing,
environmental health,
markets and fairs,
refuse collection,
recycling,
cemeteries,
crematoria, leisure services, parks, and
tourism. It is also responsible for
education,
social services,
libraries, main roads,
public transport,
trading standards,
waste disposal and strategic planning, although fire, police and ambulance services are provided jointly with other authorities through the
Avon Fire and Rescue Service,
Avon and Somerset Constabulary and the
Great Western Ambulance Service. Bath and North East Somerset's area covers part of the
ceremonial county of
Somerset but it is administered independently of the
non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in
Bath. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, it was the
Wansdyke district and the
City of Bath of the
county of Avon. Before 1974 that the parish was part of the
Bathavon Rural District. The parish is represented in the
House of Commons of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom as part of
Frome and East Somerset. It elects one
Member of Parliament (MP) by the
first past the post system of election. ==Geography==