The parish council is a civil authority and is the lowest, or first, tier of local government. It is an elected body that has tax-raising powers. Parish councils work to improve community well-being and services at the local level.   

Their activities fall into three main categories: representing the local community, delivering services to meet local needs, and improving quality of life and community well-being.   

Parish councils can provide and maintain a variety of important and visible local services including allotments, bus shelters, car parks, open spaces, community transport schemes,  events and festivals, footpaths, leisure and sports facilities, litter bins, planning, street cleaning and lighting, traffic calming measures, village greens and youth projects. 

The second tier of local government for Barley is North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC). District councils are responsible for delivering major local services such as housing, leisure and recreation, environmental health, waste collection, planning applications and decisions, and for collecting local taxation.   

County councils, like Hertfordshire County Council, are required to take a strategic view for the whole county across a range of services (including those provided by the district council) as well as being specifically responsible for the direct provision of education, highways, transport planning, passenger transport, social care, libraries, waste disposal and strategic planning.   

Central government sets and maintains national strategic goals, within which local authorities are able to shape the development of their local communities. However, central government remains in control of most revenues from taxation, so that around 75% of the funding for local government spending is allocated from the centre.