Parish councils are often largely ignored in the scheme of things. However, the recent antics of Handforth Parish Council have enabled many people to view what goes on in their name in the local council chamber. It has sadly shone a less than favourable light on the more unsavoury goings on in some parish council meetings, which, believe me, are not that untypical.

From more than two decades of experience, I recognise three types of local council, the Proactive, the Reactive and the Inactive. The Proactive Council has members who can think outside the box, are prepared to exercise the full powers afforded them by central government and are not afraid to raise their Precept above inflation to provide services.

Too often reporting of parish councils smacks of eye rolling condescension towards the lowest (or first tier) of what passes for local government in England at least.

I was a Parish/Town Councillor for 24 years, occasionally elected but often returned unopposed. Whilst chairing committees over the years I never fancied becoming Town Mayor. That was clearly what motivated some of my colleagues; but I never fancied being a member of the ‘Chain Gang’, especially as I was still trying to be an activist in our ‘true blue’ county.

I have written before on LDV about the three types of parish council. My own council, which serves a small town of over 14,000 residents, was very much in the reactive category when I joined in 1987. I still remember in my early days our spending nearly one whole meeting arguing where in the Council Chamber to put the Cuckoo Clock we had received as a gift from our twin town in the Black Forest!

Things rapidly improved thanks to the influx of councillors, mainly but not exclusively Lib Dems. They had the vision, intelligence and energy to make things happen. We now have a new Town Cemetery, more open spaces and play equipment, a Skate Park and new Council offices. Along with the increased staff required to maintain our parks etc, to deal with the members of the public and a properly enforceable Neighbourhood Plan.

What we need to do, if we want more proactive local councils is to offer them more powers. Whether they accept that challenge is up to them. The Blair government introduced the concept of the ‘Quality Council’, a challenge which my own council accepted and achieved, and, I believe, was supposed to have pocketed an extra £30,000 for its efforts. At least it earned the right to put the words ‘Quality Council’ on its headed paper! If an incentive is required, why not pay a modest allowance but based on attendance? Standing Orders must be streamlined. They are often used by the dinosaurs to prevent things happening.

But first get rid of the remaining District and County Councils and replace them with Unitary Authorities. Then we really must revisit local government finance. Council Tax in England is still based on property values from the early 1990s is a totally inadequate way of financing local government. Reform is long overdue, as is the need to return some of the powers to local government that have been sucked to the centre by successive national governments of all shades over many years.

Our Victorian ancestors benefitted greatly from local government. Many national politicians, starting with the Chamberlain family in Birmingham, first cut their teeth at this level. It’s a pity that most these days tend to avoid it and look down on it with a certain level of disdain. Believe me, while some probably don’t cut the mustard, there are quite a few councillors and senior officers in our town and county halls who would give many ministers and their less than civil servants a good run for their money!

* John Marriott is a former Liberal Democrat councillor from Lincolnshire.