Parish & Town Councils

Hedleys is one of only a few law firms with a wide and regular experience of dealing with the issues that face parish clerks and the councils that they serve. We have worked extensively in this field and have resolved disputes over a wide range of issues. Hedleys solicitors regularly address parish meetings to assist on points of law and procedure and our support has proved invaluable to many beleaguered clerks.

We regularly hold seminars to help clerks and councillors understand their duties and the legal framework in which they operate. These seminars take place at the request of such bodies, so please contact us if you think such a seminar may be of use.

You may find that a subscription to our Parish and Town Council legal helpline takes away some of the worry. Please contact us to discuss having an ongoing relationship with us.

We find that the areas that cause most problems are:

Employment

Proper employment practices are often beyond the experience of parish and town councils. We can advise on good practice and legal requirements whether you are appointing, managing or terminating the relationships, especially of the officers.

Management

Parish councils are sometimes beset by the problems of the local community. An independent look at the situation often helps identify the cause of the problems and the options for change.

Legal problems

Often the members of the councils and the clerks work in harmony, but still find that legal points arise that need addressing. We find that questions over common land, rights of way and contracts form the bulk of such enquiries and we have dealt with such problems before.

Standards Board

We have experience in advising and representing councils and councillors with regard to problems concerning the Standards Board. We have conducted a number of cases when questions of ethics and good practice have arisen.