The Parish Council is the most immediate level of local government for the village of Austwick and surrounding hamlets, and so is able to deal with matters of particular concern to the local communities.  The Council represents around four hundred electors in the parish. It provides input to the planning processes of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and liaises with the National Park, and North Yorkshire Council on a wide variety of local matters. 

The Parish Council has a clerk and five elected councillors, elections being held every four years.  The Council meets about every six weeks and all meetings are held in the parish hall in Austwick village. Local electors are encouraged to come to the meetings to see what goes on.  Time is set aside at the start of each meeting for electors to raise any matter that they would wish the Parish Council to deal with.