The Local Government Act 1894 introduced Parish Councils to the rural countryside, in 1894 Hildersham was not consider big enough with its population of just over 200 to have Parish Council, so a Parish Meeting was set up instead, as seen from this extract from the minutes at the time:

The “Local Government act of 1894” Instituted the beginning of the annual Parish Meeting to administer the affairs of the parish & section 19 (7) officially transferred the responsibility of the Trustees of the Allotments & Recreation Ground from the Churchwardens & Overseers of the Poor to the Chairman & Overseers of the annual Parish Meeting

The first Parish Meeting was held on the 4th December 1894 at the Schoolroom.  The first Chairman was the Revd. Robert Goodwin & Mr. George Henry Potter of Manor Farm was elected as the District Councillor.’

Then on the 25th March 1909, the powers were extended to make Hildersham a full Parish Council