§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to devolve more power from local authorities to parish councils and to ensure accountability for parish councils. [2646]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe rural White Paper states our intention to legislate for a formal consultative framework between principal and local councils. It also proposes that certain crime prevention powers which principal authorities have under existing legislation should be extended to parish and town councils, and that they should be given additional powers relating to community transport. We are currently consulting interested parties about those proposals.
A consultation paper has proposed regulations which strengthen accounting and audit requirements for the majority of parishes. Like other local authorities, parish and town councils are independent elected bodies, accountable to their electorate, their auditor and, where necessary, to the courts for the conduct of their business.