Parish councillors have a dual role:-

• They represent the views and concerns of the residents of the parish to the parish council itself and, through it, to the district, county or unitary authority;
• They report back to residents on issues affecting the parish.

The formal part of these roles, especially the first one, is carried out by attending meetings and corresponding with the parish clerk. The parish council might have committees and even sub-committees. This is more likely to be the case in larger councils. Individual councillors do not have, and cannot be given, powers to make decisions on behalf of the parish council. This applies to the chairman as much as to the other councillors, although the chairman does have personal responsibilities in connection with the running of formal meetings.

The less formal part of these roles of listening and talking to people, including the local elected members of the district, county or unitary council, will almost certainly take up more of the councillor’s time. However, it is important to remember that “rules of behaviour” apply whenever activities of being a parish councillor are being undertaken.

The requirement to complete a register of interests is a crucial element of complying with the code of conduct. In rural parishes, and those centred on smaller settlements in particular, the risk of councillors being affected by disclosable pecuniary or other interests can be quite high. Also, it can be difficult to maintain an appropriate distance from local lobby or campaign groups. This is most likely to be the case in planning matters, an issue that should engage particularly those councillors who are also elected members of the local planning authority.