Communication Policy (draft)
Brill Parish Council Communication Policy (v2)
Purpose and scope
This policy concerns Parish Council communication with residents and other members of the public. It is addressed to all councillors and staff, plus (where relevant) volunteers and contractors.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following documents:
Principles of good communication
Regardless of origin or mode, each and every communication from the Parish Council should be:
Clear - written in Plain English
Accessible to people of all ages and abilities. This may mean (for example) sending a large print letter or talking face-to-face rather than phoning.
Objective and accurate
Positive - focusing on solutions rather than problems
Respectful and inclusive
Honest and transparent
Legal
Effective communication between Parish Council and residents:
builds trust
enables the exchange of accurate information
enhances community cohesion
increases engagement with the Parish Council
helps develop resilience for challenges ahead
Who speaks for the Parish Council
The Clerk
The Parish Clerk is a part-time employee. They are the public face of the Parish Council and authorised to speak on all administrative and financial matters and to explain Parish Council decisions and policy.
The Parish Clerk communicates with the public in the following ways:
face-to-face during office hours (currently Mondays and Tuesday, 0930 to 1130)
by email (clerk@brillparishcouncil.gov.uk)
via the contact form on the Parish Council website
by landline to the parish office (answerphone out-of-hours)
through agenda, minutes and other official notices on the Parish Council noticeboard on the exterior wall of Brill Memorial Hall
The Clerk responds to all communications within five full working days. A final resolution may take longer and this will be explained to the resident making the enquiry.
The Chair and councillors
The Chair is one of the seven volunteer councillors, elected to this leadership role at the May meeting. They chair Parish Council meetings and address members of the public and press present on behalf of the Parish Council.
Outside of meetings, the Chair is authorised to speak on behalf of the Parish Council with public or press. On occasion, they may delegate this role to another councillor with specialised knowledge or responsibility.
Unless delegated to do so, individual councillors do not usually speak formally on behalf of the Parish Council. This is an important safeguard against different councillors making contradictory statements on Parish Council decisions or policy.
The ultimate source of Parish Council decisions and policy is the meeting minutes prepared by the Clerk. Councillors may request corrections and edits to minutes before they are published on the website.
All councillors will naturally engage and talk with members of the public on a daily basis. If challenged on Parish Council policy and decisions, they may find it helpful to refer residents to the minutes on the website. Significant enquiries and concerns should be referred to the Clerk for logging and formal response.
Councillor and Chair should at all times be mindful of the Parish Council’s reputation and cohesion of the Parish Council team.
Other means of communication
The Parish Council website and newsletter
The website has five purposes:
To fulfil the Parish Council’s legal obligation to publish minutes, policies, and financial information
To disseminate information from Buckinghamshire Council, Thames Valley Police and other official bodies
To provide information on local services and amenities, and instruct how to report problems with these
To promote Parish Council projects and amenities, including leisure and tourist facilities
To celebrate the community and heritage of Brill
The monthly newsletter supports these aims in a less formal way. The newsletter is distributed by email to 320 subscribers (February 2026) and published on the website and in print, with copies available in village shops and other locations. The newsletter’s primary focus is on engaging residents with the work of the Parish Council, in a relatable and friendly manner.
The role of the website and newsletter designer/editor
The website designer/editor works closely with the Parish Council and is bound by all relevant policies.
Most content on the Parish Council website and in the monthly newsletter is factual: the publication of minutes; the promotion of Parish Council amenities; the conveyance of messages from the Police or Buckinghamshire Council and so on. This content is uncontentious and does not require additional checking.
Content concerning Parish Council decisions and policy is written in conjunction with the Clerk or the relevant councillor or checked by them prior to publication.
Councillors are advised to regularly review the website and suggest changes and new content. They are also encouraged to contribute to the newsletter.
The website and newsletter are the Parish Council’s primary means of communication. The Parish Council Facebook Page is supportive but not comparable. The website designer/editor maintains the Brill Parish Council Page and posts occasionally but does not engage with the public. There is a notice on the Page informing residents that communications needing a response should be emailed to the Clerk.
The Parish Council noticeboard
This board is fixed to the external wall of Brill Memorial Hall. It is weather-proof and locked, and has space for 16 A4 sheets. This notice board displays official Parish Council information: agenda, minutes, audit notifications, notices of elections or council vacancies, posters for the annual Parish Meeting and similar events, and the current month’s newsletter.
The Clerk is responsible for the use of this noticeboard. The key is kept in the Parish Office.
The Community Noticeboards
There are three free-standing boards in the village: in Windmill Street, at the entrance to The Firs, and on the playing fields. These boards are open to the elements and free for any member of the public to use. The surface is recycled rubber, suitable for map pins (not drawing pins).
All notices should be -
appropriate, respectful and mindful of younger readers
relevant to the community of Brill
laminated or otherwise weather-proofed
a sensible size (ideally A5) to allow fair usage
legible, current, and in good condition
Although the Parish Council owns and is ultimately responsible for these noticeboards, it is up to users to keep them orderly and attractive. Councillors and Clerk are encouraged to support this process when passing. Tatty, out-dated and inappropriate notices can be removed by other users and councillors.
Any disputes or concerns regarding the community noticeboards should be reported to the Clerk.
Complaints
Complaints about the Parish Council
These may be verbal or written. Complaints received by councillors should be forwarded immediately to the Clerk. All complaints should then be logged and acknowledged within 5 days.
If the complaint is relatively straightforward, the Clerk will deal with it, responding as quickly as possible with an apology, explanation and resolution.
All responses to formal complaints should be in writing, regardless of the original method of communication.
Complaints about the Clerk
These complaints will be immediately forwarded to a councillor who will work with another councillor to resolve the matter.
Serious complaints and complaints about individual councillors
These will be forwards to the Monitoring Officer at Buckinghamshire Council. Residents can also complain directly to the Monitoring Officer if they so choose.
Please see the Brill Parish Council Complaints Policy for further information.
This policy
Original policy written by Cllr Hannah Hulme Hunter November 2021 and adopted by Brill Parish Council January 2022.
This version written March 2026 and adopted by Brill Parish Council March 2026.
For Review January 2029
