The county of Cheshire is separated into two unitary authorities: Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester (CWAC); the parish of Little Budworth is within CWAC. Councillors for parish councils such as Little Budworth’s are democratically elected, usually on a four-year cycle as are ward councillors.
Parish councils are the most local tier of governance and are often the first point of contact for anyone concerned with a community issue. They exist to represent the concerns of local residents and have the power to raise money through council tax via the parish precept. Their statutory powers are very limited, although they may have community buildings and other assets to maintain.
Parish councils such as Little Budworth play a vital role in local representation and in liaising with other authorities such as Cheshire West and Chester and United Utilities which do have statutory powers. For example, the parish council is a consultee as regards planning applications.