A map of the West Midlands, showing the Metropolitan Boroughs: (1) Wolverhampton; (2) Dudley; (3) Walsall; (4) Sandwell; (5) Birmingham; (6) Solihull; and (7) Coventry.

A civil parish is a subnational entity, forming the lowest unit of local government in England. There are 21 civil parishes in the ceremonial county of West Midlands, most of the county being unparished; Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton are completely unparished. At the 2001 census, there were 89,621 people living in the parishes, accounting for 3.5 per cent of the county's population.

History

Parishes arose from Church of England divisions, and were originally purely ecclesiastical divisions. Over time they acquired civil administration powers.[1]

The Highways Act 1555 made parishes responsible for the upkeep of roads. Every adult inhabitant of the parish was obliged to work four days a year on the roads, providing their own tools, carts and horses; the work was overseen by an unpaid local appointee, the Surveyor of Highways.[2]

The poor were looked after by the monasteries, until their dissolution. In 1572, magistrates were given power to 'survey the poor' and impose taxes for their relief. This system was made more formal by the Poor Law Act 1601, which made parishes responsible for administering the Poor Law; overseers were appointed to charge a rate to support the poor of the parish.[3] The 19th century saw an increase in the responsibility of parishes, although the Poor Law powers were transferred to Poor Law Unions.[4] The Public Health Act 1872 grouped parishes into Rural Sanitary Districts, based on the Poor Law Unions; these subsequently formed the basis for Rural Districts.[5]

Parishes were run by vestries, meeting annually to appoint officials, and were generally identical to ecclesiastical parishes,[6] although some townships in large parishes administered the Poor Law themselves; under the Divided Parishes and Poor Law Amendment Act 1882, all extra-parochial areas and townships that levied a separate rate became independent civil parishes.[7]

Civil parishes in their modern sense date from the Local Government Act 1894, which abolished vestries; established elected parish councils in all rural parishes with more than 300 electors; grouped rural parishes into Rural Districts; and aligned parish boundaries with county and borough boundaries.[7] Urban civil parishes continued to exist, and were generally coterminous with the Urban District, Municipal Borough or County Borough in which they were situated; many large towns contained a number of parishes, and these were usually merged into one. Parish councils were not formed in urban areas, and the only function of the parish was to elect guardians to Poor Law Unions; with the abolition of the Poor Law system in 1930 the parishes had only a nominal existence.[8]

The Local Government Act 1972 retained civil parishes in rural areas, and many former Urban Districts and Municipal Boroughs that were being abolished, were replaced by new successor parishes; urban areas that were considered too large to be single parishes became unparished areas.[9]

West Midlands showing the former local authorities

The current position

Recent governments have encouraged the formation of town and parish councils in unparished areas, and the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 gave local residents the right to demand the creation of a new civil parish.[10]

A parish council can become a town council unilaterally, simply by resolution;[9] and a civil parish can also gain city status, but only if that is granted by the Crown.[9] The chairman of a town or city council is called a mayor.[9] The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 introduced alternative names: a parish council can now choose to be called a community; village; or neighbourhood council.[11]

Civil parishes with town status

List of civil parishes and unparished areas

Image Name Status Population District Former local authority Refs
BirminghamUnparished area825,177BirminghamBirmingham
County Borough		[12]
[13]
New Frankley in BirminghamCivil parish7,890BirminghamBromsgrove
Rural District		[14]
[15]
Sutton ColdfieldTown144,020BirminghamSutton Coldfield
Municipal Borough		[16]
[17]
AllesleyCivil parish805CoventryMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[19]
CoventryUnparished area299,252 (including Finham)CoventryCoventry
County Borough		[20]
[21]
FinhamCivil parishCoventryCoventry
County Borough		[20]
[21][22]
KeresleyCivil parish791CoventryMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[19]
DudleyUnparished area194,804DudleyDudley
County Borough		[23]
[24]
HalesowenUnparished area55,591DudleyHalesowen
Municipal Borough		[25]
[26]
StourbridgeUnparished area54,760DudleyStourbridge
Municipal Borough		[27]
[28]
WarleyUnparished area139,855SandwellWarley
County Borough		[29]
[30]
West BromwichUnparished area143,049SandwellWest Bromwich
County Borough		[31]
[32]
BalsallCivil parish6,234 (including Chadwick End)SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
BarstonCivil parish499SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
BerkswellCivil parish2,843SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
Bickenhill and Marston GreenCivil parish6,583SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
Castle BromwichCivil parish11,857SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
Chadwick EndCivil parishSolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33][34]
Chelmsley WoodTown13,010SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
Cheswick GreenCivil parishSolihullStratford on Avon
Rural District		[35]
[36]
[37]
Dickens HeathCivil parishSolihullStratford on Avon
Rural District		[35]
[36]
[37]
FordbridgeTown8,748SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
Hampton in ArdenCivil parish1,787SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
Hockley HeathCivil parish6,771SolihullStratford on Avon
Rural District		[35]
[33][38]
KingshurstCivil parish8,126SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
MeridenCivil parish2,734SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
Smith's WoodCivil parish10,943SolihullMeriden
Rural District		[18]
[33]
SolihullUnparished area119,382SolihullSolihull
County Borough		[39]
[40]
Tidbury GreenCivil parishSolihullStratford on Avon
Rural District		[35]
[36]
[37]
Aldridge-BrownhillsUnparished area83,159WalsallAldridge-Brownhills
Urban District		[41]
[42]
WalsallUnparished area170,340WalsallWalsall
County Borough		[43]
[44]
WolverhamptonUnparished area236,582WolverhamptonWolverhampton
County Borough		[45]
[46]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Angus Winchester, 2000, Discovering Parish Boundaries. Shire Publications. Princes Risborough, 96 pages ISBN 978-0-7478-0470-3
  2. ↑ RAC Foundation : What Went Wrong? British Highway Development Before Motorways Retrieved 22 August 2009
  3. ↑ The Victorian Web : The Poor Law : Introduction Retrieved 22 August 2009
  4. ↑ Staffordshire University : Poor Law Unions and Registration Districts Archived 14 September 2012 at archive.today Retrieved 22 August 2009
  5. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Status Details for Rural Sanitary District Retrieved 22 August 2009
  6. ↑ Robert Tittler, The Reformation and the Towns in England, 1998, Oxford University Press, 395 pages, ISBN 978-0-19-820718-4
  7. 1 2 Modern British Surnames : Selected Events in the History of Civil Registration and Boundary Changes 1801-1996 Archived 1 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 August 2009
  8. ↑ Alex MacMorran and T R Colquhoun Dill, The Local Government Act 1894 and the Subsequent Statutes Affecting Parish Councils, 1907, Butterworth and Co, London, 626 pages
  9. 1 2 3 4 Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government Act 1972 Archived 5 December 2012 at archive.today Retrieved 22 August 2009
  10. ↑ Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Rating Act 1997 Archived 5 August 2012 at archive.today Retrieved 22 August 2009
  11. ↑ Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Archived 5 August 2012 at archive.today Retrieved 22 August 2009
  12. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Birmingham County Borough Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 16 September 2009
  13. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Acocks Green; Aston; Bartley Green; Billesley; Bournville; Brandwood; Edgbaston; Erdington; Fox Hollies; Hall Green; Handsworth; Harborne; Hodge Hill (part); Kings Norton; Kingsbury (part); Kingstanding; Ladywood; Longbridge (part); Moseley; Nechells; Northfield; Oscott; Perry Bar; Quinton; Sandwell; Selly Oak; Shard End (part); Small Heath; Soho; Sparkbrook; Sparkhill; Stockland Green; Sutton Vesey (part); Washwood Heath; Weoley; and Yardley wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  14. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Bromsgrove Rural District Retrieved 16 September 2009
  15. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Birmingham Archived 13 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 16 September 2009
  16. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Sutton Coldfield Municipal Borough Retrieved 16 September 2009
  17. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Hodge Hill (part); Kingsbury (part); Shard End (part); Sheldon; Sutton Four Oaks; Sutton New Hall; and Sutton Vesey (part) wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Meriden Rural District Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 16 September 2009
  19. 1 2 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Coventry Archived 13 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 16 September 2009
  20. 1 2 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Coventry County Borough Retrieved 16 September 2009
  21. 1 2 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Bablake (part); Binley and Willenhall; Cheylesmore; Earlsdon; Foleshill; Henley; Holbrook; Longford; Lower Stoke; Radford; Sherbourne; St Michael's; Upper Stoke; Wainbody; Whoberley; Woodlands; and Wyken wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  22. ↑ "The Coventry City Council (Reorganisation of Community Governance) Order 2015" (PDF). Lgbce. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  23. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Dudley County Borough Archived 3 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 16 September 2009
  24. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Amblecote (part); Brierley Hill; Brockmoor and Pensnett; Castle and Priory; Coseley East; Coseley West; Gornal; Kingswinford North and Wall Heath; Kingswinford South; Netherton and Woodside; Quarry Bank and Cradley (part); Sedgley; St Andrews; St James's; St Thomas's; and Wordsley wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  25. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Halesowen Municipal Borough Retrieved 16 September 2009
  26. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Belle Vale and Hasbury; Halesowen North; Halesowen South; Hayley Green; and Quarry Bank and Cradley (part) wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  27. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Stourbridge Municipal Borough Retrieved 16 September 2009
  28. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Amblecote (part); Lye and Wollescote; Norton; Pedmore and Stourbridge East; and Wollaston and Stourbridge West wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  29. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Warley County Borough Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 September 2009
  30. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Abbey; Blackheath; Bristnall; Cradley Heath and Old Hill; Langley; Old Warley; Oldbury; Rowley; Smethwick; Soho and Victoria; St Pauls; Tipton Green (part); and Tividale wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  31. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : West Bromwich County Borough Retrieved 17 September 2009
  32. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Charlemont; Friar Park; Great Barr; Great Bridge; Greets Green and Lyng; Hateley Heath; Newton; Princes End; Tipton Green (part); Wednesbury North; Wednesbury South; and West Bromwich Central wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Solihull Retrieved 22 November 2009
  34. ↑ "Bulletin of change to local authority arrangements, areas and names in England" (PDF). Lgbce. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  35. 1 2 3 4 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Stratford on Avon Rural District Retrieved 22 November 2009
  36. 1 2 3 Hockley Heath Parish Council : The New Parishes Archived 31 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 November 2009
  37. 1 2 3 Population included in Hockley Heath
  38. ↑ Population includes Cheswick Green; Dickens Heath; and Tidbury Green
  39. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Solihull County Borough Retrieved 17 September 2009
  40. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Bickenhill (part); Elmdon; Knowle; Lyndon; Olton; Packwood (part); Shirley East; Shirley South; Shirley West; Silhill; and St Alphege wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  41. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District Retrieved 25 November 2009
  42. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Aldridge Central and South; Aldridge North and Walsall Wood; Brownhills; Hatherton Rushall (part); Pelsall; Pheasey; and Streetly wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  43. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Walsall County Borough Retrieved 25 November 2009
  44. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 22 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine Bentley and Darlaston North; Birchills Leamore; Blakenall; Bloxwich East; Bloxwich West; Darlaston South; Hatherton Rushall (part); Paddock; Palfrey; Pleck; Short heath; St Matthew's; Willenhall North; and Willenhall South wards. Retrieved 26 August 2009
  45. ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Wolverhampton County Borough Archived 1 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 November 2009
  46. ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Urban Areas : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population : Wolverhampton City Archived 13 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 November 2009
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