name: Coleford Parish Council, Somerset
notes: Coleford is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the Mells River in the Mendip Hills five miles west of Frome.  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. Parish and community councils are the lowest tier of local government in the UK and have the power to provide and maintain certain types of facilities. There is a large variation in the facilities actually provided depending in part upon the size of the council. Below are examples of the types of facilities that some councils provide:
  
  • Buildings for community use, such as village halls.
  • Cemeteries and crematoria.
  • Litter bins.
  • Parks, playgrounds and playing fields.
  • Public seating.
  • Public toilets.
  • Public clocks.
  • Swimming baths.
  • War memorials.