Brill Parish Council Newsletter

December 2025 (vol 6, issue 12)

Bobs yer Parish Clerk!
10 minutes with Bobs Damerell

EDITOR How long have you been a parish clerk, Bobs?

BOBS Eight years. Four years in Brill. I’m clerk for five parish councils, including Brill. It adds up to a full-time job which is nice.

Which is your favourite parish council?

No comment!

Tell us more about the job

I’m the first port of call for residents and for official bodies - the police, Gigaclear, BT, UKPN, Bucks Council and everyone else. I’m also the responsible financial officer. Larger councils have two or even three employees handling accounts and so on but here in Brill I do all the finances. Have I had training? I’ve done a couple of courses - plus I learnt a lot from one of the clerks I took over from in another parish.

And you run the meetings? Sort out agendas and minutes and all those statutory things?

The chair runs the meetings. I just try to inject a certain level of common sense into the proceedings!

What’s the best thing about the job?

Variety and flexibility, I suppose. Working at home, coming to the office [every Monday and Tuesday 9.30-11.30am] - and the fact no two days are the same. Different things crop up all the time. I enjoy problem solving, working with people to find solutions that work for everyone.

And what are the more challenging aspects?

Passions can often run high - but I think that’s understandable in a village. Sometimes things have gone on for a long time - things which shouldn’t have gone on - and then I have to help people understand that these things are not okay. It can be difficult! Changing people’s perceptions of what is acceptable and not acceptable will always be a challenge.

What’s it like living in the village and being parish clerk?

Logistically, it’s good. Brill is my largest council and it’s often easier being on the spot, sorting out issues as they arise. meeting with people and so on. But it can be challenging if there are problems and people are upset and angry. Awkward meeting them in the street when you’ve just sent them a letter about an issue or had a difficult conversation.

Tricky.

Yeah. I’m able to separate my professional and personal lives but some people find it difficult. Sometimes I just have to make it clear that the directive has come from the council and I’m just the messenger. That being said, I think having conversations is still the best way to be collaborative. Writing letters can be an important tool but it should really only come after having sat down and had a conversation. It’s really important to work with people.

Let’s get existential. Do parish councils have a future? Or can you see a time when everything you do now will be done by Bucks Council?

I don't envision parish councils going anywhere anytime soon. County councils just don’t have the resources or wherewithal to look after each individual parish adequately. Bucks County couldn’t function without parish councils. In fact, I think the opposite will happen and more and more services will be devolved.

Devolved services?

Yeah. Brill is already responsible for grass cutting and street lighting. I can see a time when we’re asked to take on other services to relieve the pressure on county councils. It will be challenging to start with - more work for volunteer councillors and a lot more work for clerks - but it ultimately has the potential to be good.

You mean so local people are more involved in the things that matter?

Yes - and because potentially we can be more responsive. Take today - there’s a street light out by the fire station but I was able to report it and get it sorted quickly. In the past that would have been a county responsibility and likely taken a while.

Fiona, Brill’s Wildlife & Community Ranger

Common Sense
Why Conservation needs its Community

Conservation may be all about wildlife and habitats - but it’s people that make things happen.

Volunteers have been the backbone of all of my conservation work - and it’s equally true here, on Brill Common. When sheep grazing ended in 1996, two volunteer groups took on the active management of the common alongside the BVCH - Friends of Brill Common (FOBC formed in 2007) and the Common Volunteers (formed in 2003). Brill Common, like most commons, is the product of centuries grazing and low-intensity use - and, if left unmanaged, scrub and woodland take over, shading out wildflowers, reducing open habitats, and changing the ecosystem entirely. 

One of my primary roles as Ranger is to “maintain, protect and enhance Brill Common for the benefit of wildlife and people” - and supporting the volunteers in their work is a crucial means of achieving this outcome. I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting and working alongside with both the FOBC and the Common Volunteers and over the coming months I’ll write more about both, giving them the airtime and word count they deserve.

For now, here’s a brief insight into how conservation works in practice and the skills and knowledge that have helped make Brill Common what it is today. 

The management of any wildlife site begins with a habitat survey; a record of plant species, noting key indicator species, invasive species, and any plants of conservation concern. This information helps us assess the condition of the habitat and determine its management needs - in short; what we need to encourage - and what we need to minimise. Since 2008, the condition of Brill Common has been documented in a series of surveys and reports and the resulting work schedules have guided on-going management by all the volunteer groups.

Keeping volunteers and residents informed is a key part of my work - and something I believe to be vitally important. Here’s one small example: Last month, a BBOWT surveyor noted Brown Hairstreak Butterfly eggs on the common; fantastic news and a clear sign that our habitat management is working. The Brown Hairstreak Butterfly is just one of many species benefitting from our volunteers’ dedication and hard work.

Pockets of habitat - like Brill Common - link together to form wildlife corridors; essential routes and refuges that support the long-term survival of countless species. Never underestimate the importance of even a small wildlife site - nor the people that make all this possible.

Please get in touch!

Do email me your wildlife questions and photos of things you’ve seen out on the common and would like to know more about. I’m thinking about setting up weekly nature walks. What do you think? Would you or your family be interested?

Protecting you and yours at Christmas

The Parish Council get regular emails from Buckinghamshire Council, Thames Valley Police, and Neighbourhood Watch concerning safety and security. We don’t want to overload or irritate our readers but we do have a duty to inform - so here’s our easy-to-digest buffet of seasonal security advice.

• FAIRY LIGHTS needn’t be just for decoration; any form of outdoor lighting can help protect your home by breaking up the darkness thieves love.

• Be WHEELIE CAREFUL with your rubbish! Fold boxes inside out and break down packaging so you’re not advertising shiny new purchases.

• Keep GIFTS and other valuables out of sight of people passing by - and don’t keep house or car KEYS by the front door.

• Don’t advertise your Christmas PLANS on social media - and don’t post jolly updates from (say) Mid Wales whilst you’re still there.

• If you’re away, consider using a TIMER LIGHT SWITCH. Better still, buddy up with a NEIGHBOUR to take in post, open and close curtains and generally make your empty house look busy.

• Secure fences and LOCK back gates, making sure the lock can’t be reached from the outside. Lock away ladders and garden furniture rather than helpfully leaving them out to be used as climbing aids.

Short - but not very sweet

Winter Fuel Payments are made automatically. You do not need to do anything, even if you are a new recipient. If you receive any text messages about Winter Fuel Payments, it’s a scam.

Report all scams and frauds to the Police website Report Fraud.

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..”
(but only with a fireguard &
a working smoke alarm)

As the Editor’s firefighter son told her a few days ago whilst she was festooning the tree with extra lights and plugging in the multi-socket adapters: “Christmas is just one big fire hazard”. It turns out he’s absolutely right; we are 53% more likely to have a house fire on Christmas Day than any other day of the year.

Festive lights, candles, cooking, flammable wrappings and decoration, faulty electrical products and increased alcohol consumption are all potentially to blame. Here’s how to minimise the risk.

Inspect Christmas lights for damaged cables or loose connections. Only use lights that meet British Safety Standards Kitemark or the CE mark. Never overload sockets when plugging in extra lights and always unplug before going out or to bed.

Keep decorations away from heat sources. Tinsel, paper decorations and artificial trees can catch fire easily. Keep them away from candles, open flames and heaters.

Cook safely. Stay with your cooking, keep the hob clear, and avoid distractions. Don’t cook whilst under the influence of alcohol - this really is a recipe for disaster.

Use candles with care. Don’t leave scented candles burning unattended, even in the bathroom. Make sure all candles are in sturdy holders and kept well away from decorations, curtains, pets and children.

Charge gifts responsibly. Always use the correct charger and don’t charge electronics overnight or on soft furnishings. If you are giving or receiving an e-scooter, never charge it overnight or store it within your escape route. Talking of escape routes…

Keep escape routes clear. Keep hallways and exits free of decorations, piles of coats and shoes, and presents - and make sure guests know the best way out of the house in case of fire.

Check your smoke alarms. You should have a working smoke alarms on every level of your home. Test them weekly. DO IT NOW.

Take care with open fires and log burners. Use a fireguard and keep anything that could catch fire well away. Keep your chimney cleaned and checked regularly (a) for you-know-who, and (b) to reduce the risk of chimney fires.       

And finally - and not just at Christmas time…

Look out for relatives and neighbours Check in on older people and those living alone. Make sure they have working smoke alarms and, with their consent, refer them for a Home Fire Safety Visit. 

PS The 53% figure refers to England and comes from the National Fire Chiefs Council.

PPS Shout out to Brill’s On-Call Firefighters. The current recruitment round is now closed - but the need will likely rise again in the future.  

A Message from Brill Parish Council

It’s been a busy year for the new council. We are particularly pleased to welcome Fiona Bennett-Meere as Brill’s new Wildlife and Community Ranger. Fiona will be writing regularly for this newsletter and we know the whole community will benefit from an increased understanding and enjoyment of our greatest community asset.

Less dramatic but just as important for the village is three other recent tasks: trimming the hedges on our approach roads, regrading the surface of the windmill carpark - and, in conjunction with Brill United Youth Football Team, flood-lighting the MUGA enabling extended use of this popular sports facility in the winter months. All this in addition to the on-going scrutiny of planning applications, financial oversight, and maintenance of village amenities and environment.

But far more important than our achievements is the tireless committment of Brill’s multitude of volunteers. On the common and on the sports fields; supporting older people, nurturing youngsters; in church and chapel and village hall - everyone, everywhere! We salute and thank you all most sincerely for all you do. Brill wouldn’t be Brill without you!

We wish everyone in Brill and their families near and far a very happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year.

PS As ever, please remember we are YOUR Parish Council. If there’s something you think we should be doing - or doing differently - please don’t hesitate to come along to a meeting, call in to the Parish Office (Mondays and Tuesdays), or drop us a line.