Parish the Thought: For accountability and fiscal discipline in the first tier of local government
England’s 10,000 parish and town councils maintain village halls, parks and other services that matter to their communities. Yet they are the only tier of English local government that can raise its council tax charge without a statutory cap or referendum check. The average charge for a Band D household has nearly doubled since 2013–14. In the 2026 elections, 67% of seats up for election were won uncontested and 19% went unfilled.
The sums vary sharply between places. A Band D household in one parish pays 24p; in another, £551.46. Some 173 councils now charge more than the median shire district, despite having a narrower range of responsibilities. Smaller councils can spend a disproportionate share of their income on the costs of operating, while the audit regime does not examine whether any parish council’s spending offers value for money.
We propose limits on annual charge increases, with more room for councils that currently charge very little and a route to exceed the limit where residents have given their consent. Councils taking on services from larger authorities would be able to fund those transfers. We also recommend grouping councils that are too small to operate efficiently, while retaining each parish’s voice, and strengthening scrutiny of larger councils’ spending and reserves.