Finance: expenses of parish council.

The expenses of a parish council may not, without the consent of a
parish meeting, exceed the amount of a rate of threepence in the L for
the financial year; but with the consent of the parish meeting the
limit may be increased to sixpence, exclusive of expenses under the
adoptive acts. If it is necessary to borrow, the consent of the parish
meeting and of the county council must be obtained. The expenses are
payable out of the poor rate by the overseers on the precept of the
parish council.

One of the most important powers conferred upon a parish council is
that which enables them to prevent stoppage or diversion of any public
right of way without their consent and without the approval of the
parish meeting. The council may also complain to the county council
that the district council have failed to sewer their parish or provide
a proper water-supply, or generally to enforce the provisions of the
Burial Acts; and upon such complaint, if ascertained to be well
founded, the county council may transfer to themselves the powers and
duties of the district council, or may appoint a competent person to
perform such powers and duties. In a parish which is not sufficiently
large to have a parish council, most of the powers and duties
conferred or imposed on the parish council are exercised by the parish
meeting. It may be convenient here to add that where, under the Local
Government Act 1894, the powers of a parish council are not already
possessed by an urban district council, the Local Government Board may
by order confer such powers on the urban council. This has been done
almost universally, as far as regards the power to appoint overseers
and assistant overseers, and in many cases urban councils have also
obtained powers to appoint trustees of parochial charities.

General observations.

The foregoing is a sketch of the scheme of local government carried out
in England and Wales. No attempt has been made to deal with poor law
(q.v.) or education (q.v.). The local administration of justice
devolving upon the justices in quarter or petty sessions is hardly a
matter of local government, although in one important respect, that,
namely, of the licensing of premises for the sale of intoxicating
liquors, it may be thought that the duties of justices fall within the
scope of local government. It will be seen that the schem