Castle Cary is a tiny market community and also civil church in south Somerset, England, 5 miles (8 km) north west of Wincanton and 8 miles (12.9 kilometres) south of Shepton Mallet, at the foot of Lodge Hill and also on the River Cary, a tributary of the Parrett. The Town Council has obligation for local issues, consisting of setting an annual precept (local price) to cover the council's operating costs and also producing annual make up public scrutiny. The Town Council evaluates regional planning applications and also deals with the regional police, district council police officers, and also area watch teams on matters of criminal activity, security, as well as website traffic. The Town Council's duty likewise consists of launching projects for the repair and maintenance of town facilities, as well as seeking advice from the district council on the maintenance, repair service, and improvement of highways, water drainage, walkways, public transport, and also road cleaning. Preservation issues (consisting of trees and noted structures) and environmental concerns are the obligation of the district council. The community drops within the Non-metropolitan area of South Somerset, which was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having actually previously belonged to Wincanton Rural District. The area council is responsible for neighborhood preparation as well as building control, regional roadways, council housing, environmental health, markets and fairs, refuse collection and recycling, cemeteries as well as crematoria, recreation solutions, parks, as well as tourism. Somerset County Council is accountable for running the biggest and most costly neighborhood solutions such as education and learning, social services, libraries, highways, public transport, policing and fire solutions, trading criteria, garbage disposal and strategic preparation. The community remains in the Cary electoral ward. This extends south to the North Cadbury parish, and also south west to Babcary. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 5,502.