The Council welcomes public engagement across a range of platforms; however, posts or messages from members of the public via social media platforms (such as Facebook and Instagram) shall not be regarded as official correspondence.

The Council is not obliged to respond to any such messages. Residents wishing to contact the Parish Council formally must do so by:

• Emailing the Parish Clerk at clerk@windleshampc.gov.uk
• Submitting a written letter to:
  The Council Office, The Avenue, Lightwater, GU18 5RG
• Using the online contact form on the Council’s official website: www.windleshampc.gov.uk

House Rules for Social Media Engagement

All users (including Councillors) engaging with the Council via social media must comply with both the respective platform’s Terms of Use and the following conditions:

• You are wholly responsible for any content you post, including shared material.
• Posts considered inappropriate by the Council may be removed in part or in full.
• The Council will report and remove any social media accounts misusing Windlesham Parish Council branding or imagery without permission.

The Council reserves the right to hide or remove posts, comments, or private messages that contain:

• Graphic, sensitive, or offensive imagery
• Abusive or obscene content
• Discriminatory language or conduct
• Misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation
• Off-topic or irrelevant comments
• Public mentions of Council staff by name
• Derogatory or accusatory remarks about individual Officers or Councillors
• Private or personal information about staff or Councillors irrelevant to their role
• Intellectual property infringement
• Content in breach of legal or regulatory obligations
• Spam, trolling, or persistent disruptive behaviour

Before any content is removed, the Council may take screenshots of the material and retain it in line with the Council’s privacy policy to justify the moderation action.

Repeat violations may lead to the user being blocked or reported to the platform provider. A private warning message will typically be issued before such action is taken, explaining the breach and potential next steps.

The Council also reserves the right to challenge or correct inaccurate or misleading public information, including escalating complaints to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) where necessary.

Users who witness a post they believe violates these rules are encouraged to report it directly through the platform's moderation tools.