A parish council may only act where it has the powers to do so. Listed below is a summary of the main powers and duties of parish councils. This is not a definitive list.

Allotments
Power to provide allotments and a duty to provide allotments if demand is unsatisfied.

Burial grounds, cemeteries and crematoria
Power to acquire, provide and maintain.
Power to agree to maintain monuments and memorials.
Power to contribute towards expenses of burial grounds and cemeteries provided by others.

Byelaws
Power to make bye-laws for:

Pleasure grounds
Cycle parks
Baths and swimming pools
Open Spaces and Burial grounds
Mortuaries and post-mortem rooms
Markets maintained by the parish Council

Charities
Right to appoint trustee to some parochial charities

Churchyards
Power to contribute to the cost of a Churchyard in use
Duty to maintain a Closed Churchyard where duty has been transferred by the church.

Clocks
Power to provide public clocks

Commons and common pasture
Power to protect any registered common with no registered owner
Power to contribute to cost of scheme for registration and management of commons
Power to provide common pasture

Conference facilities
Power to provide and encourage the use of facilities

Crime prevention
Power to install equipment/ establish a scheme for crime prevention

Ditches and drains
Power to deal with ponds, ditches and drains containing filth or a matter prejudicial to public health

Employment
Power to employ staff to carry out council functions

Entertainment and the arts
Power to provide public entertainment & premises for giving entertainment. Power to develop & improve knowledge of the arts

Flagpoles
Power to erect flagpoles

Footpaths
Power to repair and maintain public footpaths

Gifts
Power to accept gifts

Halls
Power to provide and furnish buildings for public meetings & to contribute to the expenses of another parish council or person providing such facilities
Power to provide and equip premises for indoor sport or physical recreation or for the use of clubs having athletic, social or educational objects

Highways
Power to light roads and public places
Power to maintain parking places
Power to light roads and public places
Power to maintain parking places
Power to enter into agreement to dedicate & widen highways
Power to provide traffic signs and other notices
Power to plant and maintain roadside verges
Power to contribute to cost of traffic calming by highways authority
Power to instigate use of & need for local roads & traffic control

Information and Advice
Power to provide information for the public about local services
Power to help voluntary organisations providing information & advice

Land
Power to acquire by agreement, to appropriate dispose of land

Legal proceedings
Power to prosecute and defend legal proceedings

Litter
Power to provide litter bins

Lotteries
Power to promote local lotteries

Money
Power to borrow money
Power to raise money from the Council Tax by precepting on the Borough Council
Power to invest in statutory securities

Planning
Right to be notified of planning applications and to comment

Public lavatories
Power to provide and maintain lavatories

Recreation
Power to acquire land for or to provide recreation grounds, public walks, pleasure grounds & open spaces & to manage & control them
Power to provide indoor facilities such as sports centres, swimming pools etc
Power to provide outdoor facilities such as pitches for team games, athletic grounds etc
Power to provide boating ponds

Seats
Power to provide public seats on the highway

Shelters
Power to provide and maintain shelters for general public use and bus shelters

Tourism
Power to encourage tourism

Transport
Power to establish local car sharing scheme
Power to make grants for bus services benefiting local elderly or disabled people
Power to make grants to local community bus services
Power to subsidise taxi fares for eligible local residents
Power to publicise information on local public transport services

Village Greens
Power to maintain village greens