By Amrin Bhatti, Senior Internal Communications Lead, Slough Borough Council, and LGcomms Future Leader 2026
I’ve always believed communications is about connecting the dots between people, priorities and points of view. But spending a day in Westminster and in conversation with senior communications practitioners and my peers was a powerful reminder of just how strategic that role really is.
Day two of the Future Leaders programme took us right into the heart of government. We began at the Houses of Parliament where the scale, pace and pressures faced by those working in political environments is most apparent. Standing in spaces where decisions shaping the country are debated every day set the tone for what became a day of rich learning about influence, trust and the strategic value of communications in the public sector.
A session led by Caitlin Flynn and Khadija Khatun-Talib from Parliament’s internal communications team for member services offered rare, candid insight into advising internal stakeholders in such a complex and high-profile setting. What resonated with me most was the emphasis on shifting from being seen as “the people who send things out” to being trusted advisers who add clarity, confidence and strategic intent to communications.
While Parliament is a unique environment, many of the challenges discussed felt very familiar. Fragmented audiences, overloaded inboxes, shifting political priorities and expectations for transparency are shared realities across local government and the wider public sector.
Our group discussions were full of examples of best practice being swapped back and forth. It was energising to hear how different organisations navigate similar challenges with creativity and pragmatism. Whether at a council or in Westminster, the fundamental role of a comms officer remains the same: to inform people, to build trust, to bring people with us, and to support leaders to communicate with clarity and purpose, particularly in busy, noisy or unpredictable environments.
Conversations carried on through lunch where between bites, notes were made, ideas shared and challenges discussed before we headed to MHCLG (Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government). Hearing from Nick Coligan and Rebecca Murrell, senior communications professionals at MHCLG, brought another valuable perspective, where the pace is relentless and the stakes are incredibly high. The reflections on national communications, the evolving media landscape and the challenge of being heard were both sobering and inspiring.
Across the day, one theme kept surfacing: good communication is not just helpful – it’s essential. In a climate where trust is fragile, attention is fractured and expectations are higher than ever, good, strategic communication is how trust is built, priorities understood, change is explained and relationships strengthened between organisations and the people they serve. I left feeling proud of the work we do in public sector communications, encouraged by the calibre of professionals across the sector and excited about what’s next as we navigate shared challenges. There is real opportunity for us as future leaders to shape the direction of communications, so they can have an impact while being responsive to the environment we operate in and the needs of the people and communities we serve. Days like today remind me just how important and strategic our role can be.