in 1988, although in 1998 he and his family moved to nearby Mells. Lord Rees-Mogg's children Jacob and Annunziata spent much of their childhood in the village. Governance 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 evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, unitary council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the village hall or community centre, playing fields and playgrounds, as well as being consulted by the unitary 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 of interest to the council. Along with East and West Harptree, Hinton Blewett is part of the Mendip Ward, which is represented by one councillor on the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset, created in 1996, responsible for almost all local government functions, including local planning and building control, education, social services, libraries, main roads, public transport, trading standards, waste disposal, strategic planning, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection, recycling, cemeteries, crematoria, leisure services, parks, and tourism. Fire, police, and ambulance services are provided by the Avon Fire and Rescue Service, the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, and the South Western Ambulance Service. Between 1 April 1974 and 1 April 1996, Hinton Blewett was in the Wansdyke district of the county of Avon, and before 1974 was part of the Clutton Rural District of Somerset. The parish is represented in the House of Commons as part of North East Somerset, which elects one Member of Parliament. It was also part of the South West England constituency of the European Parliament prior to Britain leaving the European Union in January 2020, which elected six MEPs. Demographics According to the 2001 Census, the Mendip Ward (which includes East and West Harptree), had 1,465 residents, living in 548 households, with an average age of 39.0 years. Of these 79% of residents describing their health as 'good', 22% of 16- to 74-year-olds had no qualifications; and the area had an unemployment rate of 1.5% of all economically active people aged 16–74. In the