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 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, 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 the responsibility of the council. For
local government purposes, since 1 April 2023, the village comes under the
unitary authority of
Somerset Council. Prior to this, it was part of the
non-metropolitan district of
Somerset West and Taunton (formed on 1 April 2019) and, before this, the district of
Taunton Deane (established under the
Local Government Act 1972). From 1894 to 1974, for local government purposes, Ruishton was part of
Taunton Rural District. The appropriate
electoral ward is called 'Ruishton and Creech'. The ward stretches from
Thornfalcon in the south, through
Creech St. Michael to
Adsborough. The total population of this ward is 4,008. It is also part of the
Taunton and Wellington county constituency represented in the
House of Commons of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one
Member of Parliament (MP) by the
first past the post system of election. ==Religious sites==