Holywell is part of the civil parish of "Holywell-cum-Needingworth", which has a parish council elected by residents who have registered on the electoral roll. The parish council, the lowest tier of government in England, is responsible for providing and maintaining local services including allotments, a cemetery, and landscaping and tree planting in public spaces such as village greens and playing fields. It reviews all planning applications and makes recommendations to Huntingdonshire District Council, the parish's local planning authority. It also represents the parish's interests in issues such as local transport, policing and the environment. It raises its own tax, the parish precept, to pay for these services, which is collected as part of the Council Tax. The parish council's fourteen councillors, and parish clerk, normally meet once a month.