Castle Cary is a small market town and civil parish in south Somerset, England, 5 miles (8 kilometres) north west of Wincanton and also 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 concerns, consisting of setting an annual precept (neighborhood price) to cover the council's operating costs and also generating annual represent public scrutiny. The Town Council evaluates local planning applications and also works with the neighborhood police, district council policemans, and neighbourhood watch teams on issues of crime, security, and traffic. The Town Council's function also consists of launching projects for the repair and maintenance of community facilities, as well as seeking advice from the district council on the upkeep, repair, as well as enhancement of highways, water drainage, paths, public transportation, and also street cleaning. Preservation issues (including trees and noted structures) and environmental issues are the duty of the area council. The town falls within the Non-metropolitan area of South Somerset, which was based on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, having previously become part of Wincanton Rural District. The area council is accountable for neighborhood planning as well as building control, neighborhood roadways, council real estate, ecological health and wellness, markets and fairs, refuse collection as well as recycling, cemeteries and crematoria, recreation services, parks, and also tourism. Somerset County Council is in charge of running the biggest as well as most costly neighborhood services such as education and learning, social services, collections, main roads, public transport, policing as well as fire solutions, trading requirements, garbage disposal and calculated planning. The community is in the Cary electoral ward. This extends southern to the North Cadbury church, and southern west to Babcary. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 5,502.