Witney Town Council has issued advice on what each level of council is responsible for in an effort to clear up "a few confusing crossovers".

In Oxfordshire, there are three tiers of councils, each with different duties.

The first is the parish council, such as Witney Town Council, which provides services only to town residents.

Its responsibilities include managing parks, play areas, and the lake and country park, and it also oversees some civic and community events, allotments, and bus shelters.

Recently, it has allocated budgets to fund services for youngsters.

While it can comment on planning applications as a consultee, it does not make the final decision.

It also has the responsibility of being the burial authority for the town and looks after the town’s cemeteries.

District councils, such as West Oxfordshire District Council, is the next tier up and provides services of a more domestic nature.

These include waste and recycling, housing, council tax, business development, trading standards, and making decisions on local planning.

Its services are available to all towns and villages within the district.

It also maintains some parcels of land across the district and takes on some land maintenance tasks contracted out to it by the county council.

The top tier is Oxfordshire County Council, which manages the largest budget.

It is responsible for education, libraries, transport, social care, and the maintenance and repair of roads and pavements.