Creating your own parish or town council press release

Effective media engagement is crucial for raising awareness and gaining support for your campaign. The press release template offers a professional and polished format for announcing your campaign to local media outlets. It includes space for key campaign details, quotes from campaign leaders, and information on upcoming events or meetings. This template can help you generate positive media coverage and reach a broader audience.

[Insert campaign group name] Media Release
[Day, month, year]

[INSERT CAMPAIGN GROUP NAME] WANTS A [SELECT PARISH/TOWN] COUNCIL FOR [INSERT LOCAL AREA]

[Insert campaign group name] is currently seeking support from residents for a new [select parish/town] council for [insert local area] to provide improved services, local representation and better support for local voluntary and community organisations. [Insert name], [insert job title] of [insert campaign group name], said, “[Insert quote]”.

So, what are parish and town councils? Parish and town councils are the first tier of government, closest to the people, and usually work in partnership with principal authorities. Across England, around 10,000 parish and town councils already represent around 35 million people in areas as diverse as urban city communities, market towns and rural villages. Their aim is simple - to improve community well-being, provide better services at a local level and provide local people with a stronger voice.

A parish and town council could influence the local community more over the issues that affect us all. Parish and town councils across the country are already doing a great deal towards improving community wellbeing and providing better services at a local level. Parish and town councils might provide, maintain or contribute to the following services: community centres, leisure facilities, local youth projects, crime reduction measures, street lighting, street cleaning, community transport schemes, environmental issues and allotments, to name just a few.

[Insert campaign group name] is petitioning the [insert principal authority] to create a new [select parish/town] council for [insert local area].

[Insert name], [insert job title] of [insert campaign group name], explained, “If we can secure enough signatures, [insert principal authority] will be required to undertake a community governance review, and they will have to consult residents on the proposal. A community governance review must be completed within 12 months, and unless very good reasons exist [insert campaign group name], will have their local council formed.”

A new [select parish/town] council would focus the community on tackling the issues that affect us, give us a louder voice, and enable us to tackle the issues that we face more easily.

- Ends -

Notes for editors:

• [Insert campaign group name] is an independent group of residents campaigning for a new [select parish/town] council in [insert local area].
• For more information, contact [insert contact name], [insert contact email address] and [insert contact telephone/mobile number].