0300 123 4040      hertsdirect@hertfordshire.gov.uk      http://www.hertsdirect.org/

This covers the whole of Hertfordshire and covers the largest number of services and with it a large budget.  They account for the majority of local Council Tax as well as grants from the government and a small amount in fees and charges:

• education
• transport, including buses and highways (for fault reporting such as streetlights or potholes)
• planning (minerals and waste)
• fire service and public safety
• social care
• libraries
• waste management
• trading standards
• registration and licensing of births, deaths and marriages

01707 357 000     contact-whc@welhat.gov.uk      http://welhat.gov.uk/

This covers a smaller area than the County and locally covers areas like Welwyn Garden City (which has no parish council) Hatfield (which has it’s own Town Council) and other areas like the Ayots.  They’re responsible for services like:

• parking enforcement including double yellow lines
• leisure facilities and local nature reserves
• rubbish collection and recycling (disposal is undertaken at County level)
• Council Tax collections
• electoral registration
• licensing (taxi’s, markets, alcohol, food hygiene)
• housing
• planning applications

A list of the potential powers which as a Parish Council are available, can be found here. A parish can take on any role delegated to it.  The key difference is that for parish councils, funding comes from the precept (and fees from hall hires, allotment rents etc.).  This means parish councillors can seek the views of local residents to see if they wish to increase spend on local services (e.g. the car park leasing).

• Allotments
• Cemetery
• Play areas
• Playing fields
• Community venues

You can find out more from the Government website.