Summer is one of the most active times of year for town and parish councils. Events on the green, fetes, outdoor markets, public consultations before the autumn agenda kicks in – there’s a lot happening and residents are actively looking for information.
Which makes it the perfect time to ask: is your council website keeping up?
Your events page is your front door
When someone in your community wants to know what’s on this summer, the first place many will look is the council website. If your events section is out of date, buried in a clunky navigation, or simply doesn’t exist, you’re missing a real opportunity to be useful.
A well-maintained events calendar doesn’t just inform residents, it builds trust. It signals that your council is active, engaged and worth paying attention to.
Our Zonkey Council websites include a user friendly events calendar, with two options for displaying events.
Mobile matters more in summer
People are out and about. They’re checking their phones on the way to the park, at the school gate, on the bus. If your website isn’t easy to use on a mobile device, a significant chunk of your audience will give up before they find what they need.
Make key information easy to find
Summer often brings planning consultations, road closure notices and grant announcements that affect residents directly. If people can’t find this information quickly, they’ll either miss it or contact the office directly adding to your team’s workload.
Clear navigation, a prominent news section and a simple search function can make a real difference.
A quick audit
If you haven’t reviewed your website recently, summer is a good moment to do it. Check your contact details are current, make sure any meeting dates reflect the summer schedule and look at whether key pages load quickly on mobile.
Small improvements now can have a meaningful impact on how well your council communicates through the busiest months of the year.
If you’d like a free review of your current council website, get in touch with the Zonkey Councils team.