[8] The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny.

The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning.

Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.

The village falls within the Non-metropolitan district of Mendip, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously been part of Frome Rural District,[9] which is responsible for local planning and building control, local roads, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism.

It is also part of the Frome and East Somerset county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

It looks out over a vale formed by several small streams, in particular the Buckland Brook, which leads southwards towards Frome (and other villages such as Great Elm and Mells).

Coming off this at the bottom of the hill is Lower Street, which subsequently turns uphill (as Sands Cross Hill) before looping back to the main road at the top of the village, opposite the Bell public house.

They then seem to disappear into a clump of trees; in reality, a tunnel entrance is hidden, leading to Vallis Vale and the quarry.