Who puts these councils in power?

They are classed as local government, we may pay taxes etc but don't have much say, they pretty well are a law of their own!!:x

So vote them out, or are they appointed?

You can vote them out but you have little others to choose from (who wants the job, they are basically Politicians), and doesn't seem to matter who gets in anyway the laws never change. There have been a number of times when some of the stupid laws end up on the news, but even then rarely change, the only other way is to protest with signed petitions but even that mostly fails & most residents, like me, just give up/put up!:-?
PS. Don't really call them public servants, more like public masters!!:doh:

That is a simple matter of local planning permission and by-laws