This is a complex area of what we can and cannot do but, in general, the Council has quite wide ranging powers but not too many duties. In Elwick, the main responsibility is to do with the maintenance of The Green and open spaces including arranging grass cutting, tree maintenance and other general maintenance and improvement functions. Ownership of the Village Green is vested in the Parish Council who are entrusted with the enforcement of the bye laws. Even if the Council so wished, it cannot allow the Green to be used for car parking or similar since it is unlawful.

More recently, the Parish Council has become involved in major issues facing the village such as attempting to maintain a bus service following removal of bus subsidies by the Borough Council, campaigning to get high speed broadband into the village and surrounding areas and generally seeking to improve the lot of the rural area generally.