Agenda item

The Communications Strategy Review 2009

Minutes:

The Overview Board considered a report of the Assistant Chief Executive on the 2009 Communications Strategy Review of the Council. The Baord was asked to consider any immediate recommendations for its further development for submission to the Cabinet on 4th November 2009 and to identify the key linkages of the strategy to the proposed Scrutiny Board Task Group on Improving Residents’ Satisfaction.

The Assistant Chief Executive introduced the report and summarised the development and review of the Communications Strategy. He explained that the Communications Strategy had been originally written in 2006 and was reviewed annually. He noted the link between the Communications Strategy and the Improving Residents’ Satisfaction Task Group due to be considered by the Scrutiny Board. He was of the view that the Communications Strategy would help to further improve residents’ satisfaction and noted that although residents’ satisfaction needed to be further improved it was not very low when compared to other councils’ performance in this area.

Questions and comments were received from Members of the Overview Board. It was recognised that the Communications Strategy of the Council could be even further enhanced if there were resources available but that this was not possible in the current financial context. The Assistant Chief Executive indicated that the implementation of the strategy was a “long game” of delivering the key messages to residents through stealth and cost effective targeted delivery mechanisms.

It was highlighted that Bromsgrove (BDC) and partner agencies ran stalls in town centres focused around popular events and there was a Bromsgrove District Housing Trust (BDHT) information bus, which engaged directly with residents in community centres. It was pointed out that elected councillors also have a role in engaging in a two way dialogue with residents and building a positive relationship with the public. It was proposed that more focus be given on communications to local neighbourhoods, including communities outside the town centres, including schemes such as the stalls at popular community events and similar initiatives to the BDHT bus, to ensure that BDC communications reached all sections of the community across the District.

The Assistant Chief Executive pointed out that a lot of the complaints received by members of the public were built on misinformation, and were often satisfied through a proper dialogue and corrective information. The Executive Director of Services pointed out that a lot of communications work was defensive in nature, responding to bad press or incorrect information.

The idea of a “fridge magnet” or other handy, easy to read quick reference guide summarising the key contact numbers for Council services was considered, but it was thought that the costs would not offer value for money. It was nevertheless pointed out that the advertising of key dates of events and services (e.g. refuse collections dates) would be very useful for many residents.

It was proposed that there should be delivery mechanisms to relate key messages to local residents at key times of the year, e.g. when residents received their Council Tax bill. The Assistant Chief Executive pointed out that the Place Survey had highlighted some key areas for improving communications, including on value for money.

The Assistant Chief Executive was asked about the Mosaic system. Mosaic UK was a marketing tool that classified all consumers in the United Kingdom into 61 types, aggregated into 11 groups, using over 400 data variables and updated annually and it profiled UK consumers in terms of demographics, socio-economics, lifestyles, culture and behaviour. It was proposed that the Mosaic system be employed to inform targeted messages to different groups of residents across the District.

The Head of Street Scene and Community was asked if he thought services’ communications acted independently or through the corporate centre. He reported that key communications messages were delivered through the Communications Team. The Assistant Chief Executive advised that the Communications Team identified key projects and key messages throughout the council to incorporate them into the key corporate messages and the delivery of the Communications Strategy.

It was pointed out that some parts of the District (specifically in Wythall and Hagley) did not receive the popular newspapers that the Council used to deliver the key communications with residents. The Communications & Customer First Manager advised that it was intended to set up focus groups in Wythall and Hagley to find out the best ways to communicate with them and also to make sure that residents in these areas received the Together Bromsgrove Council magazine. There were also plans to continue to “piggy back” on popular events around the District as a means to take communications out to residents in different areas.

It was asked if the communications budgets were allocated jointly with Redditch under shared services or were still separate for each Council. The Assistant Chief Executive advised that at that moment these were two separate budgets but that it was one of the issues that would be reviewed under the roll out of shared services and that there would have to be mechanisms introduced for recharging between the two Council budgets and between services. It was proposed that defined strategic communications processes be established to enhance and facilitate appropriate communications for shared services, including appropriate shared costs and service to service arrangements.

The Chairman proposed that the Communication Strategy be considered where appropriate during consideration of forthcoming Overview and Scrutiny topics and particularly in relation to the proposed Task Group topics being considered and asked that any proposals that arise from this process could be fed into the development and review of the Communications Strategy and actions plans.

recommended:

(a) that the Mosaic system be employed to inform targeted messages to different groups of residents across the District;

(b) that a simple easy to read breakdown of BDC’s responsibilities and service provision be provided periodically at key times of the year to residents to communicate how BDC allocates spending according to residents’ priorities and BDC budget allocations, emphasising value for money;

(c) that more focus be given on communications to local neighbourhoods and communities outside the town centre, including schemes such as the events stalls in town centres and similar to the Bromsgrove District Housing Trust bus, to ensure that BDC communications reach all sections of the community across the District;

(d) that linkages are enhanced between the Communications Strategy and council services communications needs and other strategic service plans to ensure that council services communications are fully supported through the Communications Strategy and vice versa;

(e) that defined strategic communications processes are established to enhance and facilitate appropriate communications for shared services, including appropriate shared costs and service to service arrangements.

resolvedthat the Communication Strategy be considered where appropriate during consideration of forthcoming Overview and Scrutiny topics.

Supporting documents: