Bermuda Party MP complained yesterday.

And a recently-announced shakeup at the Department of Social Services is expected to gut the councils' powers even further.

Mr. Anthony Correia, a long-time member and former chairman of the Smith's Parish council, said in order to attract good people and induce them to work, "you have to give them some kind of responsibility''.

But Government has stripped too many powers from the councils, some of which "hardly ever meet,'' he said.

The 12-member councils once played an important investigation role with respect to social assistance applications, Mr. Correia said. Now, "everything has to go down to Social Services''.

"The incentive is gone,'' he said. "They feel they are just a body that has no clout and they have very little usefulness.'' Applications were now approved by Social Services, which instructs parish councils when to write cheques and for how much.

A council's "functions and responsibility as it stands now is practically nil,'' he said.

A Social Services spokesman said yesterday an overhaul of the department announced recently by Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness will result in social assistance cheques bypassing the parish councils.

"In order to improve the effectiveness of the service, it was decided payments for social assistance would go directly to the client,'' from Social Services, the spokesman said.

Mr. Correia said he was not aware of that change, although: "I think that it will eventually go that way. I personally would hate to see it.'' The 63-year-old is stepping down as Government MP for Smith's South when Parliament is dissolved and will devote more time to his supermarket business.

He said he would stay active in the Smith's Parish council, but the system should be changed.

At one time, parish vestries were elected. Until 1971, councils collected a portion of property taxes and had responsibility for street lighting, garbage collection, district nursing, and weights and measures.

Now, they mainly deal with social assistance and rest homes.

Mr. Correia said he did not mind the bodies being appointed, but they should have some power.

Mr. Edness was off the Island yesterday.