Purpose of the Parish Council:

Great Ayton Parish Council aims to represent the best interests of the local community to serve our village. Parish councils make all kinds of decisions on issues that affect the local community.

 

Probably the most common topics that parish councils get involved with are planning matters (they are statutory consultees), crime prevention, managing community assets such as village halls and open spaces, and campaigning for and delivering better services and facilities.

 

Parish councils have limited powers to make decisions. But they do have the ability to negotiate with, and the power to influence, those other organisations that do make the final decisions, for example, North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police.