COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

Transcription

1 COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY INTRODUCTION Communications is at the core of everything the Council does. This strategy outlines how we will plan and manage our communications activities over the next five years. It sets out our approach to communicating with residents, partners, businesses, with staff and councillors. The Corporate Communications Strategy is relevant to all service areas and functions of the Council. The national economic environment has drastically changed since the Council s last communications strategy, as has its priorities. This revised communications strategy reflects the changing landscape that we operate in. In uncertain financial times and with huge challenges ahead for local government, the role of communications in explaining what we stand for, how we will deliver services and provide value for money is critical. The Communications Strategy supports the Council s three priorities which from 2014/15 are: Promoting sustainable growth Working with our communities Living within our means We will focus our efforts on communicating how the Council is delivering on those priorities. By communicating about what the Council stands for and how we deliver on our priorities and policies, we can successfully build on our organisational reputation. Aside from communicating strategic messages we won t forget the basics and will ensure we provide effective information on the core services that people value the most, including waste and recycling, parks and open spaces, street cleaning and housing services. 2. BACKGROUND NATIONAL CONTEXT A Local Government Association (LGA) commissioned opinion poll in found that nine out of ten people know that the council collects their bins, yet a quarter also think councils provide hospitals and dentists. So, there is clearly a big job to be done in informing residents about our services. LGA research also makes a clear link between councils who have a good reputation among residents and the highest performing councils. 1 Source Local Government Association: New Reputation Guide, May

2 Communications within the Council operate within the confines of national guidance. The Government published its new Code of Recommended Practice on Local Government Publicity in March The code sets out seven key principles: Publicity should: Be lawful Be cost-effective Be objective Be even-handed Be appropriate Have regard to equality and diversity Be issued with care during periods of heightened sensitivity Specifically, the Code states that Councils should not produce newsletters or magazines more frequently than on a quarterly basis. It also contains provisions on appropriate communications during pre-election periods. In January 2014, the Local Authority Publicity Code, which was formerly a guidance document for English Councils, has been included in the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 by amending the Local Government Act The 1986 Act contained the statutory power for the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to issue a Code of Recommended Practice. The 2014 Act gives the Secretary of State statutory power to direct local authorities to comply with the Code. The Council is already fully compliant with the Code. We have built the principles of the code into our communications planning and will ensure we give it due regard when planning new communications activities. LOCAL CONTEXT LGA Research shows that the better informed people are about council services, the more satisfied they feel. The 2013 North Hertfordshire District Wide Survey showed a high level of satisfaction with the way the council runs things with 86% of residents satisfied and 81% of residents agreed that council services are of good quality. However, around three in ten residents disagreed that the council makes an effort to find out what local people want (32%) or fully involves/consults residents on important issues (28%). This demonstrates that getting our approach to communicating with stakeholders right is critical if we are to maintain and build upon our reputation. 3. OUR COMMUNICATIONS PRINCIPLES Our communications will be: Honest, accurate and transparent Carried out in line with relevant legislation and the Council s own communications protocols and guidance Accessible and tailored to meet the needs of a wide cross-section of the community Delivered using multiple channels e.g. media, social media, web, print Two-way Cost-effective Developed in line with our corporate style and identity guidelines 2

3 4. OUR COMMUNICATION AIMS We will proactively communicate timely, relevant information about current issues and Council services to enhance the reputation of the Council. We will ensure that information which our customers seek out via our communications channels is kept up to date and accurate We will maintain a strong and consistent identity for the Council We will explain and justify the Council s policies, decisions and procedures where appropriate, correcting any inaccuracies and ensuring a balanced viewpoint We will retain a committed and motivated workforce by implementing a programme of effective internal communications We will build trust among our residents and partners by ensuring we follow our communications principles. 5. WHO WE COMMUNICATE WITH The Council is responsible for the delivery of a wide range of services, which can have varying implications for a wide range of groups, organisations and individuals across the district. The target audience and communications channel used can differ therefore depending on the particular message being conveyed. Our key audiences include: North Hertfordshire residents Those working in / visitors to the District Community groups including charities and voluntary organisations Local businesses and potential investors Councillors Council staff Town and Parish Councils Neighbouring district authorities and Hertfordshire County Council Partner organisations e.g. Herts Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Service Housing Associations e.g. North Herts Homes, Howard Cottage Central Government departments Print and broadcast media 6. HOW WE COMMUNICATE As we have a wide range of stakeholders to communicate with, we are committed to using a variety of communications channels, to try and reach as broad spectrum of the population as possible. We know that people prefer to receive their information in different ways so we don t rely heavily on one method of communication over another. While approximately 90% of residents now have access to the internet, there are still 10% who don t, meaning we can t solely rely on digital technology. Similarly, there are many areas of the district where local newspapers don t reach, something to bear in mind when planning media relations activity. 3

4 The exponential growth of social media in the last couple of years has fundamentally changed how we communicate with people and how they expect to be communicated with. It is therefore important that we retain some flexibility in our approach to how we communicate and the channels we use, particularly as technologies evolve. 6.1 PUBLIC RELATIONS A large proportion of the work of the communications team is spent on media relations activity. This encompasses proactive press releases, responding to media enquiries, briefing Portfolio holders and liaising with the media. Successful media management is vital in helping us promote and defend the council. Despite a national decline in print newspapers, their continuing importance as local opinion leaders should not be underestimated. In the last three years, media enquiries to the Council have steadily increased. 2 Therefore the role of media relations will remain central to our communications activity. We will implement an effective programme of media relations activity to include: Maintaining a public relations calendar of events and proactive press releases to help promote the Council s three strategic priorities. Providing robust and timely response to media enquiries and letters to the editor to defend the reputation of the Council; its policies, services and decisions Offering strategic advice and identifying potential media issues to senior officers and Cabinet Members Building relationships with key journalists to ensure we have a productive working relationship Devising a number of campaigns around core issues for the Council e.g. increasing direct debit payees, tackling litter etc Key action points: During the lifetime of this strategy, an updated media relations protocol which sets out how we interact with the media, our roles and responsibilities as well as what the media can expect from us i.e. response times etc will be devised. 6.2 SOCIAL MEDIA The Communications team manages a corporate twitter with over 4000 followers. Twitter is used at least daily to communicate information e.g. press releases, events, service disruption information and we also respond to messages or comments from followers regarding our services. Recently the Customer Services Team have also begun to take an active role in managing responses to any customer service enquiries on Twitter. This is part of a wider project to encourage customer interaction via digital channels. The Museums service has its own Facebook page which is managed by its team and an NHDC corporate Facebook account will be launched in With the introduction of the new waste and recycling service in 2013, the Council also created 2 Evaluation of Communications Activities Appendix C to Cabinet report 25 March

5 a presence on Streetlife, to provide information for residents talking about the changes. While there are risks associated with using social media, i.e. lack of control on what people say about us and potential resource implications, we have found the benefits outweigh this. The benefits to the Council of using social media are: It allows us to communicate information instantly It allows us to reach an audience whom we may not reach with our traditional channels of communication It is a low cost communication channel (although it does have the potential to be resource intensive) It is an effective customer service tool, allowing instant feedback and two way conversation It provides us with intelligence about what is happening in the local community and alerts us to any potential issues. We will use social media to: Communicate with the public real time information, particularly during periods of service disruption or in emergencies Promote the work of the Council i.e. by linking to press releases, job alerts, service updates, events Gather intelligence about potential emerging issues and trends by following opinion formers and partner organisations on Twitter / Facebook Engage in two-way conversation with residents on issues otherwise answered by Customer Service Centre via phone or for example. Key action points: Given the increasing prevalence of social media, one of the key actions from this strategy will be to devise a separate social media strategy which outlines our goals for using social media in the future, which channels we will consider, how we will resource them and the benefits and risks of using them. A further action will be to investigate appropriate social media monitoring and evaluation tools. 6.3 WEBSITE The website is one of the Council s most important communications channels as well as being at the centre of a corporate programme of customer channel shift led by the IT and Customer Services teams and supported by a Senior Management project group. There is a separate website strategy, currently in draft which acknowledges a need for a redesign of the Council s website along with a new content management system. From a communications perspective the key considerations for the next five years are: Ensuring content is well managed and regularly updated and that there is consistency in tone, style and content across the Council s services 5

6 Ensuring that the top things that people want to visit our website for are easily accessible and clearly labelled in plain English. Ensuring better integration of the website with social media platforms Ensuring the website is an attractive place to visit so that customers will make repeat visits to carry out transactions or find out information Key action points: The Communications team will work closely with the IT team and the Customer Services team to finalise and implement the actions from the website strategy including the redesign of the website and development of a new content management system. 6.4 OUTLOOK MAGAZINE Outlook magazine is an A4, full colour publication, distributed on a quarterly basis to approximately 55,000 households. It is currently the only regular postal communication sent directly to all households about a range of council services. Feedback from the 2013 District Wide Survey on the magazine is generally positive, with 78% of residents having seen a copy in the last 12 months. 85% of residents who had at least glanced at Outlook liked the way Outlook looks and is presented and 80% like the way it is written, an increase of 4 and 5 percentage points respectively since To ensure the publication provides value for money we have recently begun to accept a limited amount of paid for advertising, primarily from contractors, partners or other public sector organisations. This helps offset some of the production costs associated with the magazine. We will continue to use Outlook magazine to: Communicate key information about a range of services, including project updates, events, grant applications Provide residents with a visual illustration of our work through using local imagery wherever possible Communicate information around the democratic process including details of elected Councillors and electoral information Communicate information about the performance of the Council including annual review information Communicate about the good work which our partners often undertake on our behalf e.g. Countryside Management Service 6.5 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS Communicating with staff is critical if we are to effectively deliver the Council s three priorities. Research shows that employees that are engaged and that understand and live and breathe the values of an organisation are likely to be more productive, and take fewer sick days a year. In uncertain times, it is essential that staff are kept informed of likely changes both within their service areas and across the council. Similarly, it is important that we adapt our communications to reflect changes in 6

7 organisational culture, such as the recent transition by a large part of the organisation to regularly working from home or at remote locations. We communicate with staff in a variety of ways, accepting that a one size fits all approach does not work, as people fulfil different roles and operate in different locations, some with little access to electronic communications. Similarly messages are often repeated across a range of mediums to ensure corporate messages are digested and understood. Communications to staff is carried out both through the Communications team, by senior management and line managers, Human Resources and via the Staff consultation Forum. Some of the key current methods of internal communication are: Team Talk a monthly corporate briefing which includes major project updates, HR news, Governance news etc NHDC News staff magazine featuring staff personal news and achievements as well as qualifications, new starter and leavers information and profiles of specific teams and individuals. Intranet a source of news, briefings, provides access to self service functions e.g. IT helpdesk and payroll systems. Message board function for both corporate updates and staff news and items for sale. Global s These are used when there is a need to communicate key information to all staff. They require authorisation from the relevant Head of Service or Director. Face to face briefings by Senior Management Team at times of organisational change or associated with the budget setting process for example. Management Team meetings, 1:1s etc. Arrangements are determined locally by managers We will use internal communications channels to: Provide staff with timely and accurate information at times of organisational change, working in conjunction with Human Resources Celebrate success of teams and individuals in carrying out their roles and in their learning and development Celebrate achievements of staff in their activities outside of work Update staff on key projects and service updates, particularly where they relate to delivery of the Council s three strategic priorities Provide corporate updates on HR, governance and legal issues Key action points: We will audit and review our approach to Internal Communications to ensure current methods of communications are still appropriate, consistent across directorates and embrace any appropriate new ways of communicating. For example, a text messaging service for staff was introduced in 2012 to alert staff of any IT issues. 6.6 MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS As the elected representatives of the Council, we appreciate that Councillors need up to date information and briefings on issues as they arise. Communications to Members may be carried out through the communications team or via other appropriate officers. 7

8 We will: Use Members Information Service to provide service updates, news, planning and building control information etc to Members on a regular basis. Ensure that Members receive a copy of staff communications such as Team Talk and NHDC News as these contain useful information to assist them in their role, including starters and leavers and corporate HR updates. Issue global councillor s where appropriate when it is necessary to inform members urgently of a situation. On a major issue we will always aim to let Members know before information is released to the local media, however depending on press deadlines, on some occasions this may not be possible. We will always inform Members as a priority, however. Offer advice to Cabinet Members, Committee Chairmen and others representing the Council on any potential communications issues / stories. 6.7 CORPORATE IDENTITY The Council s corporate identity is a key factor in determining how our stakeholders perceive the organisation as a whole. The Council has a set of corporate identity guidelines, which include guidance on letterheads, business card, branding on vehicles, online communications etc. Key action points: We will review the Council s existing Corporate Identity Guidelines to ensure they are fit for purpose. As part of this we will introduce a clear plain English style guide to ensure that staff get written documents right first time. Critically a programme of communication among staff will be carried out to ensure that the guidelines are applied consistently across the organisation. 6.8 CONSULTATION AND CUSTOMER INSIGHT The communications team is responsible for delivering the Council s Consultation Strategy. This is due to be reviewed in Results of consultation exercises are used to help gauge public satisfaction and inform future service direction and delivery. The communications team also assists services in understanding the value of carrying out consultation in their services. For example in 2011, we worked with the waste services team and our appointed research agency to host focus groups specifically looking at the way that the council communicates on waste issues. 7. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 7.1 CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM The Communications team is responsible for implementing and driving forward the Communications strategy and delivering the outputs of the action plan and day-to - day functions. The team are the first port of call for journalist queries and for staff and Cabinet Members seeking advice on communications issues. The team are responsible for ensuring the methods of communication adopted remain appropriate and relevant. 8

9 7.2 ROLE OF SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM The Council s Senior Management team will be responsible for driving the Communications Strategy by communicating their decisions (and the decisions of Members) and the strategic thinking behind them clearly to their teams. Specifically, It is the role of Senior Management Team to identify potential communications opportunities for their services which the communications team can proactively promote and also identify any potential issues and bring them to the attention of the communications team. 7.3 ROLE OF ALL STAFF All staff have a responsibility to understand and promote the priorities of the Council through the work they undertake. It is the responsibility of all staff to engage with the various internal communications channels available to them. 7.4 ROLE OF MEMBERS Cabinet Members: It is the role of Cabinet members to be the face of the Council, to actively promote and defend the Council s services, and to drive forward delivery on the strategic priorities. Cabinet members are responsible for clearly communicating their decisions and the strategic thinking behind them so that our stakeholders can understand why decisions have been made Role of all Members: It is the role of all members to communicate effectively with their constituents in a timely and professional manner, using the communications channels available to them. 8. HOW WE EVALUATE OUR COMMUNICATIONS 8.1 MEDIA MONITORING We operate a media monitoring system which records all press releases, media enquiries and media coverage for the Council. We monitor both the quantity and quality of media coverage. For example we consider an item s tone, whether it is aligned to a strategic priority and the Council s share of voice in any coverage. These are all recognised measures of media evaluation. To ensure we effectively use the media management information available, a quarterly media monitoring report will be reported to Senior Management Team. 8.2 SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING As social media becomes an increasingly important communications channel, it is also becoming more important to be able to monitor the impact of our social media presence and how well we are performing. Both the Communications team and the Customer Services team monitor existing channels to ensure customer interactions are dealt with appropriately, however we do not have the resource to monitor across all the major channels. There are, however many tools available for monitoring an organisations presence on social media channels and for providing key information 9

10 to evaluate the impact of our presence. A key action from this strategy will be to implement a new cost-effective system of social media monitoring / evaluation. 8.3 REPUTATION SURVEYS The District Wide Survey measures trends in how people currently receive information about the Council and how they would prefer to receive information. It also tracks satisfaction with the Council s Outlook magazine. We will continue to use the results of the survey to identify changing trends in customer behaviour and aspirations so that we can adapt our communications accordingly. We conduct a survey of staff every two years which includes a section on our internal communications. We will use the results of the survey to gain feedback on the effectiveness of our communications and identify emerging channels. For example in 2012 we asked staff about whether they would like us to communicate with them via text. A text messaging service for IT issues has now been fully implemented. 8.4 BENCHMARKING DATA AND SHARING BEST PRACTICE We subscribe to a national local authority communications group which provides a forum for sharing best practice and annual benchmarking data. It provides useful feedback on emerging trends in Local Government communications, for example on the prevalence of social media across local authorities and information where communications services have been sold to other organisations. The Communications Manager also regularly attends a Hertfordshire communications group for all 10 districts and Herts County Council. The purpose of the group is to identify any cross-county communications issues, share best practice and identify joint working opportunities. 8.4 COMPLAINTS, COMMENTS AND COMPLIMENTS We use feedback generated through the 3Cs process from residents about our communications to help improve our service. The Communications team receives low levels of comments, compliments or complaints, but we do receive some suggestions and comments on Outlook magazine which we try and take on board for future editions. 9. ACTION PLAN The action plan for this Communications Strategy is delegated to the Strategic Director of Customer Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Policy and Green Issues and subsequently included in service plans and appraisals. An indicative work-plan for the communications team for 2014 / 2018 is attached as Appendix B for information. This action plan will be reviewed on an annual basis by the Communications Manager in consultation with the Strategic Director, Customer Services and the Portfolio Holder for Policy and Green Issues. 10

11 10. CONTACTS Sarah Dobor Communications Manager John Robinson Strategic Director, Customer Services SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS Recommended Code of practice for Local Authority Publicity: North Hertfordshire District Wide Survey Report December tations.htm 11