Harleston with Redenhall Town Council is one of three tiers of local government and we play a vital role in the community supporting our town and its residents.
We consist of 11 voluntary members dedicated to improving the town. The Town Council and our councillors provide a point of contact for residents’ ideas and suggestions, aiming to enhance the community for everyone’s benefit. It is the level government closest to the community, with the district and county authority above it in the hierarchy.
As it is the authority closest to the people, Town Councils are invariably the first-place people will go with concerns or ideas. For this reason, they are a vital part of any community.
The powers and duties, and the manner in which a Town Council operates are laid out in local government statute and regulations; Town Councils operate at a level below national government and also below district and borough councils. Town Councils are elected and can help on a number of local issues, like planning applications or running local sports grounds and community halls. You can find out more about it via the Government Definition.
As per the Governments definition Town Councils have various legal responsibilities, including employment and ownership of public land and buildings. They are statutory bodies empowered by acts like the Local Government Act 1972 and the Public Health Act 1936. While not all councils use every power available to them, they choose what best serves their community.
To do this the Town Councils raise funds through an annual precept set in January based on the preceding November’s budget. This precept is added to the Council Tax bill and collected by South Norfolk Council.
As a Town Council we provide a range of services for the benefit of our community. You can find out more about the responsibilities of all tiers of local government and the services we provide on our website.
We need you!
Council members freely give their time to support and enhance the town. Your feedback, questions, and ideas are invaluable in helping them achieve their goals.
If you are interested in becoming a councillor please take some time to look at the information on our website.