Communications and Engagement Strategy
A strategy to inform, listen and engage with our stakeholders
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Where we are now and where we want to be
3. How we get there
4. Strategic Vision and Brand
5. Value for Money
6. Internal Communication and Engagement
7. External Communication and Engagement
8. Maidstone Destination Branding
9. Code of Conduct and Editorial guidelines
10. Hard to Reach Groups
11. Consultation - Statement of Principles
Appendices
One - Action Tables
Two - Review of past performance
Three - Consultation Principles
Four - Public Relations and Editorial Policy
Five - Most appropriate communication methods - borough
Six Most appropriate communication methods - wards
1. Introduction
Our aim is to inform, listen and engage with our stakeholders so that they have a clear understanding and a positive perception of our vision, aims, values, services and achievements, leading to higher levels of satisfaction and engagement.
This strategy sets the overall context and approach to how the council will communicate and engage with stakeholders. It looks at where we are now and where we want to be, it reviews what we have done in the past and sets out a route map to improve communication and engagement, and the reputation of our services.
2. Where we are now and where we want to be
Maidstone Borough Council wants to be a top performing council. We want our residents and other stakeholders to have high levels of satisfaction with our area and services and high levels of engagement with the council and its decision making.
Whilst we compare well in with the average of other Kent councils, the 2008 Place Survey showed that we have some way to go to equal the best nationally. The following table sets out indicators of satisfaction with the council, and engagement in the local decision making process. It shows where we are now and where we want to be:
|
Indicators |
Maidstone - 2008 Place Survey |
Where We Want To Be Top Quartile Districts |
|
Very or fairly satisfied with how council runs things |
44.0% |
51.4% |
|
Strongly or tend to agree local council provides value for money? |
32.0% |
39.1% |
|
Overall satisfaction with local area |
85.2% |
88.2% |
|
Percentage of people who feel that they belong to their neighbourhood |
59.3% |
66.2% |
|
Percentage of people who feel that they can influence decisions in their locality |
25.4% |
30.6% |
|
Fair treatment by local services |
75.6% |
78.8% |
|
Would you like to be more involved in the decisions that affect your local area |
27.3% |
26.7% |
Good internal communication and engagement can contribute to the achievement of these targets. The 2010 Best Companies survey of our staff showed that overall staff engagement had improved since the 2007 survey and that we compared favourably with other councils. However there is still room for improvement when compared to the best private sector organisations. The following table sets out where we are now and where we want to be in 2012.
|
Indicators |
Maidstone - Best Companies Survey 2010 |
Where We Want To Be in 2012 |
|
Response rate Overall Staff engagement |
60% 602.9 |
70% 625 |
3. How we get there
We have reviewed our previous strategy, dated May 2009, (Appendix Two) and considered what we do under five themes, which complement the Local Government Association’s New Reputation Guide. The themes are:
· Strategic Vision and Brand.
· Value for Money.
· Internal Communication and Engagement.
· External Communication and Engagement.
· Maidstone destination branding.
The following pages set out why these issues are important, the current position and what we are trying to achieve.
4. Strategic Vision and Brand
Why it matters
One of the core actions at the heart of the Local Government Association's (LGA’s) Reputation Campaign is to ensure that the council 'brand' is consistently linked to services. A local authority may be delivering excellent services but unless they are clearly branded and promoted, the council will not get the credit and recognition it deserves. The council’s brand elements are contained in a guide on the internet and have been embedded at all levels of the organisation. Compliance with printed material is ensured through our corporate procurement process.
Councils need to focus on a few priorities and simple, key messages; ensure that the corporate identity is used consistently and correctly across the organisation; and avoid sub-brands wherever possible.
A strong brand for council services is essential to improve satisfaction, build relationships and trust with local people, and help people understand what council tax pays for. Crucially, the formal expression of the brand should match customers’ actual experience of the council.
Councils are increasingly being judged by how well they work with their partners and their communities to improve the area for people. Therefore, it is increasingly important that promotion of the council to its residents and the outside world should link to the wider promotion of place with partners.
Maidstone Borough Council is committed to and shares the vision for Maidstone, identified in the Sustainable Community Strategy 2009-2020:
“We want Maidstone Borough to be a vibrant, prosperous 21st century urban and rural community at the heart of Kent, where its distinctive character is enhanced to create a safe, healthy, excellent environment with high quality education and employment where all people can realise their aspirations.”
Working to achieve the vision the council has identified three priorities with six outcomes for the next four years:
One - For Maidstone to have a growing economy
Maidstone will have a growing economy with a range of employment and business opportunities. In essence, Maidstone is a good place to work and do business. We want to achieve the following outcomes by 2015:
· A transport network that supports the local economy.
· A growing economy with rising employment, catering for a range of skill sets to meet the demands of the local economy.
Two - For Maidstone to be a decent place to live
Maidstone continues to be a clean, attractive and well designed and built environment; a place where people want to live. We want to achieve the following outcomes by 2015:
· Decent affordable housing in the right places across a range of tenures.
· Continues to be a clean and attractive environment for people who live in and visit the borough.
Three - Corporate and Customer Excellence
The Council will have a productive workforce with people in the right place at the right time, delivering cost effective services. Services will be affordable, delivered on time and to agreed standards in an accessible way. We will continue to support our most vulnerable residents and seek to reduce deprivation across the Borough. We want to achieve the following outcomes by 2015:
· Residents are not disadvantaged because of where they live or who they are, vulnerable people are assisted and the level of deprivation is reduced.
· The Council will continue to have value for money services that residents are satisfied with.
The current position:
The Council has started to communicate and embed the vision within the organisation.
In January 2011, three consultation events were held with 160 members of staff to take them through the new priorities. Feedback from the events was positive.
Staff members were asked to identify how the Council, their service and they would deliver each priority. They were asked to consider the council’s brand and how it is made up of our identity, our reputation, our people and our services. They were asked to put the brand into words and suggest strap lines for the council. The winning strap line ‘Your Community, Our Priority’ will be used to reinforce the council’s brand across the organisation.
What we are trying to achieve:
To make its vision come alive, the council must be able to communicate and influence a wide range of organisations, individuals and partners in a cohesive and co-ordinated way. Our vision and values must be embedded and communicated across the council. Our communications strategy must:
• Co-ordinate and direct communications so that every councillor and member of staff is working towards shared objectives, in support of council strategy.
• Ensure that everyone understands what we’re working towards, and what the outcomes will be – showing people what success looks like.
• Ensure staff and partners understand their contribution through clear objectives, milestones and deadlines.
The action plan, at Appendix One, sets out what we do to achieve these objectives.
5. Value for Money
Why it matters
Local Government Association analysis of Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) customer satisfaction data found that ‘perceived value for money’ had the strongest correlation with overall satisfaction. In addition councils whose residents felt they got good value for money were the most popular, and those who scored badly on value for money were the least popular. The strongest driver of ‘perceived value for money’, and a primary driver of resident satisfaction with councils, is effective information about council services. Councils whose residents feel well informed about services are the most popular and vice versa. Providing good communications during a recession is even more important.
Firstly, local councils become more important in people’s lives during an economic downturn. People who have never needed to seek active support and advice from the council before may need to do so. Making sure that local people and businesses have the information they need is a basic requirement of any communications team.
Secondly, proving value for money has never been more important for local councils. There is a perception, fuelled by the national media that the public sector 'has it easy' compared to the private sector. Proving your worth and showing how you add value helps local communities trust and respect what you do.
Finally, budgets are likely to continue getting tighter. Councils face the double impact of increased demand for services with falling revenues and are revising their budget spending downwards. The government is increasing public sector borrowing as part of its strategy to boost the economy. Most accept this will probably lead to even leaner budgets in the future. Communications can be one of the first services to feel the impact of budget cuts, if the service is not run efficiently and is not seen to be adding value.
The current position:
The Council recognised the importance of value for money at times of recession with the introduction of its ‘Make It Maidstone’ campaign in July 2009. The Downs Mail pages and other activities have promoted our work to help residents with housing and council tax benefits, heating, insulation and home improvement grants, bus travel and money advice. We have promoted our initiatives to help business and reinvigorate the local economy.
This work built on existing initiatives such as the branding of our street cleaning operation, A-Z of services, budget consultations and ‘You said, We Did’.
What we are trying to achieve:
Perceived value for money is the most powerful driver for the public’s satisfaction with councils by some margin. Eighty of the top 100 councils for value for money are in the top 100 councils for overall council satisfaction. Our communications must:
· Inform residents of the range of services we provide.
· Show residents that what they want is what we want.
· Engage residents and staff in the process of setting budgets and priorities.
· Explain to residents how council tax is set and what the money is spent on.
· Show that we keep the streets clean.
The action plan, at Appendix One, sets out how we will work to achieve these objectives.
6. Internal Communication and Engagement
Why it matters
Staff members play a crucial role in building a council’s reputation. Whether they are frontline staff or officers representing the council externally, the way they behave and how they talk about the council can have a huge impact. Good internal communications is therefore very important in helping a council achieve its objectives.
Ipsos MORI research shows that the councils that perform most effectively are most likely to have staff who would speak up for their council externally and councils that keep their staff well informed are rewarded with more motivated staff.
Communicating well with staff – consulting, listening to and involving them – is one of the 12 core actions of the Local Government Association's Reputation campaign. Good internal communications will:
· help create a 'can-do' culture and build a committed and high-performing workforce focused on achieving the council’s goals
· boost morale and motivation
· encourage staff to be our ambassadors
· help the organisation learn – our staff are a vital source of information and ideas
· provide a better customer service – informed frontline and other staff will be up to speed on what’s happening in the council and why.
The current position
The council uses a variety of mechanisms for informing employees about key issues, including the Chief Executive’s blog, team briefings, staff newsletter, payslip attachments, direct mail shots, e-mail and the staff forum.
Feedback is encouraged through surveys, intranet and direct e-mail to the Chief Executive or other senior managers.
We engage and involve staff through the staff forum, listening days and other events such as our strategic planning workshops.
In addition, the council’s personal development programme has a strong focus on effective communications.
The success of these mechanisms is reviewed by an annual internal survey of communications and a full survey of staff engagement every few years with ‘Best Companies’. We also participate in ‘Investors In People’, which gives us direct feedback from staff from all parts of the organisation.
In the last ‘Best Companies’ survey in August 2010, staff acknowledged that internal communications were good and identified a number of areas where it could be better. These areas are encompassed in the action plan.
What we are trying to achieve:
We want to inform and engage with staff members to build trust and confidence in what we do. We want them to understand the priorities of the council and to feel valued and able to contribute to major changes affecting the services they provide. Specifically we want to:
· Create consistency in all communications to staff.
· Encourage and enable our staff to understand, support and deliver the council’s vision and priorities adhering to the ethos summarised in our core values.
· Use and develop employees skills to pro-actively engage in the promotion of best practice and drive communication of this through all levels of the organisation.
· Work with staff to ensure they are engaged and feel confident in communicating with the council’s stakeholders – customers, councillors, partners, contractors etc at all levels.
The action plan, at Appendix One, sets out how we will work to achieve these objectives.
7. External Communication and Engagement
Why it matters
The Place Survey confirmed the long-held beliefs that well informed residents are more likely to be satisfied with their council and feel it offers value for money.
However we can no longer send out information through tried and tested communication channels and hope that the messages stick. The way people receive information about the council has changed from even five years ago. There are currently more than 100 million different blogs, 400 million Facebook members and millions of people using Twitter. People are creating content about the council over which we have no control.
People also trust in different ways. Information about the council is more likely to be believed if it comes from family, friends or work colleagues rather than directly from us. So we must do more to nurture relationships and build networks where dialogue about the services we provide are made in conversation. This means meaningful engagement with residents - listening; opening up opportunities to participate; tailoring policy accordingly; feeding back the positive and negative; and listening again.
The current position
Different people like to contact the council, undertake transactions and receive information in different ways. The tables at Appendices Five and Six show the most appropriate communication methods for the borough as a whole and the wards within the borough.
These are not the only ways people in these groups like to make contact and to be contacted. The council uses a variety of communication methods to target and tailor communications to ensure they are effective and offer value for money. They include – letters, telephone, personal visits, flyers, posters, internet, email, social networking, newspapers, our Borough Update newsletter, voluntary and community groups, radio and occasionally television. A review of our previous communications strategy is included at Appendix Two.
The table below shows a ladder of public engagement - from information such as media releases through to engagement such as ‘Planning for Real’.
|
Level of Participation |
Examples |
|
|
Engagement
|
|
Planning Forum and Planning for Real |
|
Involvement
|
Sustainable Community Strategy |
|
|
Consultation
|
Budget Consultation |
|
|
Information |
Most Passive |
Borough Update and media releases |
The Sustainable Community Strategy Maidstone 2020 has a key cross cutting objective to improve engagement:
Public agencies and their partners to undertake a programme of continuous community engagement and work with communities to resolve their issues at the community level.
In response the council’s Strategic Plan states: ‘We will promote active citizenship – to facilitate and support increased involvement by local people in decision making and involvement in their neighbourhoods.’
This work will take place within the framework of a new Community Development Strategy. The draft strategy states: ‘Effective community development work engages a wide cross-section of the population on a range of issues, so that they can influence the decisions affecting their local area and the development of services to meet local need. It achieves better outcomes through more effective and targeted allocation of scarce resources.’
We have considered the three pillars of an ‘Ideal Empowering Authority’[1] set out in the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency’s community engagement framework and diagnostic toolkit:
· Mainstreaming empowerment & developing business case.
· Working with diverse communities and neighbourhoods.
· The role of councillors in community empowerment.
This work identified the key strengths in the council’s past and current community engagement activities, weaknesses, threats and opportunities.
What we are trying to achieve:
We want a clear communications strategy and annual work-plan to:
· Use social media as part of wider communications campaigns when it will be effective.
· Ensure that our key messages are included in all our communications.
· Evaluate and report on our communication channels and campaigns.
· Talk with residents, not at them - engaging them in two-way conversations to support the council’s policies.
The action plan, at Appendix One, sets out how we will work to achieve these objectives.
8. Maidstone Destination Branding
Why it matters
A destination brand can appeal to visitors, inward investors and organisations who visit for educational purposes.
Whilst there is still more research to be done into the added value of destination branding, there is increasing awareness of the importance of destination brands among product and service providers as consumers become more sophisticated. The value of a destination brand to Maidstone must be assessed but it could help to increase inward investment into our borough.
The current position
A Maidstone destination brand must stand for something, a promise to the consumer and not be merely logos or symbols. For Maidstone, this issue is quite complex and its brand will be built through the experience provided through its attractions, restaurants, bars, hotels, retail offer, parks, businesses and inward investment appeal.
Currently Maidstone does not have a destination or place brand. It does have a series of logos, campaign slogans and strap-lines used to enhance marketing activities depending on the market segment, including - Locate in Maidstone, Visit Maidstone, Town Centre Management, the Hazlitt Arts Centre and Maidstone Museum.
There are two critical elements to brand development – identity and image:
· Brand identity is the self-image and aspired market image of Maidstone. This is developed with stakeholders stating the desired brand image.
· Brand image is the actual image held by the consumer. This may not be what we would like it to be. Qualitative research groups can be used to find out what the Maidstone brand stands for now.
These two elements overlap and this is where the council can have some control in the positioning of the brand. This can be one or two succinct messages that reach the minds of the consumer.
Because the council does not have direct control over the actual delivery of the brand promise a top down approach to destination branding is likely to fail.
What we are trying to achieve:
We want to work with stakeholders to carry out and analyse visitor research, define the brand and ultimately finalise the brand alignment plan, which will identify what needs change to make the brand promise deliverable in the eyes of visitors.
The action plan, at Appendix One, sets out how we will work to achieve these objectives.
9. Code of Conduct and Editorial guidelines
The borough council does not believe in spin. All our PR and publicity will comply with s.2 of the Local Government Act 1986 and s.27 of the Local Government Act 1988, and we will have regard to the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity. The code is available from the Department for Communities and Local Government website - www.communities.gov.uk
The council’s adopted Public Relations and Editorial Policy is attached at Appendix Four.
10. Hard to reach groups
Many of the council’s services work on a daily basis with hard to reach groups such as – ethnic communities, young people, single parents, people with disabilities and the elderly.
In 2006 the Council’s Recreation and Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee published the findings of its investigation into access to the Council’s services. The report included a number of recommendations to improve communication with hard to reach groups.
The council’s ‘Clear Communication Guide’ has been produced and is available on the Council’s intranet. The Council wants to ensure that people with visual impairment receive information in an accessible format and will continue to work closely with Kent Association for the Blind to improve communication with blind people.
Road shows, budget consultations and other events must be accessible to everyone – physical access to the venue and access to information is important.
Deprivation and poverty is an issue in some wards in our borough and linked to this can be low levels of literacy. The challenge is to provide accessible documents and effective communication. Documents must be written in plain English with pictures and illustrations. The Gateway signing is a good example of accessible communication.
Religious festivals should be considered when planning events and consultations so as not to exclude some groups in our community. A calendar of primary sacred times is available online at - www.interfaithcalendar.org.
Our approach is to provide information in available formats on request and this has proved an effective (and cost effective) method of ensuring accessibility and high levels of satisfaction.
11. Consultation - Statement of Principles
In 2001-02 an Overview and Scrutiny Committee looked at the Council’s consultation mechanisms. It emphasised the importance of consultation and made many suggestions to improve the Council’s consultation mechanisms. It agreed that consultation was two-way and a process of asking for and listening to the views of stakeholders.
The Council’s adopted principles for consultation are attached at AppendixThree.
Appendix One - Action Tables
|
Strategic vision and brand |
|
|
||
|
What we plan to do |
Milestones |
By Whom |
When/Review |
Priority |
|
Co-ordinate and direct communications so that every councillor and member of staff is working towards shared objectives, in support of council strategy.
|
Improve Service Planning, as priorities change and develop annually.
Heads of Service and Team managers will inform staff and involve them in Service Planning - Training for Heads of Service and Unit Managers.
Review and improve communication between the Executive and back bench councillors. |
Head of Change and Scrutiny
Head of Change and Scrutiny
Head of Democracy, Head of HR and Head of Communications |
1 February 2012
1 February 2012 -30 March 2012
31 December 2011 |
Medium
Medium
High |
|
Ensure staff and partners understand their contribution through clear objectives, milestones and deadlines.
|
Restructure our management theme and other meetings so they are focussed on delivering the priorities.
Link the priorities to our corporate training programme. |
Chief Executive and Head of Communications
Head of Human Resources |
1 October 2011
1 September 2011
|
High
Medium |
|
Ensure that everyone understands what we’re working towards and what the outcomes will be – showing people what success looks like. |
Establish and use a strap-line consistently which clearly sets out what we stand for.
Produce pictures and other marketing materials to visually demonstrate our vision and priorities. |
Head of Communications and Head of Change and Scrutiny |
1 June 2011 (agree strapline) |
Medium |
|
Value For Money |
|
|
||
|
What we plan to do |
Milestones |
By Whom |
When/Review |
Priority |
|
Inform residents of the range of services we provide.
|
Produce an A-Z of council services to show the range of services we provide for the council tax collected.
Annual council tax publication - easy to understand and explains where the money is spent. |
Head of Communications and Head of Finance and Customer Services
Head of Communications and Head of Finance and Customer Services |
Annually
April Annually |
High
Medium |
|
Show residents that what they want is what we want. |
Annual ‘You Said, We Did’ campaign. |
Head of Communications and Head of Finance and Customer Services |
April – May 2012 |
High |
|
Engage residents and staff in the process of setting budgets and priorities. |
Annual budget consultation.
Report the results of budget consultation on our website, in Borough Update and elsewhere. |
Head of Communications and Head of Finance and Customer Services |
October – November Annually |
High
High |
|
Explain to residents how council tax is set and what the money is spent on. |
Value for money campaigns, as part of our annual budget consultation, to show services are providing good value for money and to explain how council tax is set.
Regular articles in Borough Update outlining why and how we provide value for money.
A consistent and memorable corporate identity on all front-facing services (especially refuse trucks and street cleaning services).
Monitor value for money perceptions of residents, staff and stakeholders using a regular tracker of opinion (every two years). |
Head of Communications and Head of Finance and Customer Services
Head of Communications
Head of Communications
Head of Change and Scrutiny and Head of Communications |
October – November Annually
Review March 2012 + Annually
Review March 2012 + Annually
1 October 2011 |
High
Medium
Medium
High |
|
Internal Communication and Engagement |
|
|
||
|
What we plan to do |
Milestones |
By Whom |
When/Review |
Priority |
|
Create consistency in all communications to staff. |
Using information from the staff survey, identify those communication routes that are most effective and ensure that these are carried out consistently in all areas.
Carry out ‘ad hoc’ sampling to ensure alignment, Plain English and corporate identity guidelines.
Monitor through annual internal communications survey.
Monitor through Best Companies Survey. |
Head of Communications and Head of HR
Head of Communications
Head of Communications
Head of HR |
1 September 2011
31 March 2012
31 March 2012
2012 survey |
High
High
Medium
High
|
|
Encourage and enable our staff to understand, support and deliver the Council’s vision and priorities adhering to the ethos summarised in our core values. |
Utilise appraisal discussions to help staff understand the ‘golden thread’ and what part staff as individuals and teams play in the achievement of the vision and priorities.
Continuously demonstrate the behaviours associated with STRIVE. |
Line Managers
ALL |
Ongoing
Ongoing |
Medium
Medium |
|
Use and develop employees skills to pro-actively engage in the promotion of best practice and drive communication of this through all levels of the organisation. |
Highlight individuals within the authority who are able to develop into this role, possibly using the staff forum.
Encourage staff to recognise and highlight good news stories for the organisation. |
Head of HR Head of Communications
Head of HR and Head of Communications |
January 2012
November 2011 |
Low
Medium
|
|
Work with staff to ensure they are engaged and feel confident in communicating with the Council’s stakeholders – customers, councillors, partners, contractors etc at all levels. |
Continued training of Habit 5 of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Follow up communication related learning needs via the appraisal process.
An annual work shadowing plan.
Develop new ways of communicating that suit different people and different styles.
Develop annual programme of listening days linked to service planning and other Council initiatives. |
Head of HR
Head of HR
Head of HR
Head of HR
Head of Communications |
Ongoing
Ongoing
November 2011
Ongoing
October 2011
|
Medium
High
Medium
Low
High |
External Communication and Engagement |
|
|
||
|
What we plan to do |
Milestones |
By Whom |
When/Review |
Priority |
|
Use social media as part of wider communications campaigns when it will be effective.
|
The adoption of a social networking tool kit to maximise social networking and online consultation. |
Head of Communications |
Review August 2012 |
High |
|
Ensure that our key messages are included in all our communications.
|
An annual media plan.
A shared calendar of key community engagement events to maximise the use of these opportunities across the council and with partners.
Review and rationalise existing forums and groups.
A programme of seminars and training in community engagement for staff and councillors with a focus on the value of community engagement to improve services and resident satisfaction. |
Head of Communications
Community Development and Partnerships
Community Development and Partnerships
Head of HR, Democratic Services, Community Development and Partnerships |
By March 2012/Reviewed Annually
By March 2012/Reviewed annually
By March 2012/Reviewed Annually
By March 2012/Reviewed Annually |
High
Medium
Medium
Medium
|
|
Evaluate and report on our communication channels and campaigns. |
Improve Consultation Mechanisms – annual report, review and improve consultation toolkit and new consultation software.
Improve evaluation of newspaper coverage – new media evaluation system of annual media plan.
Reviews of budget consultation and ‘You Said We Did’ campaigns etc.
|
Head of Communications
Head of Communications
Head of Communications |
31 March 2012
31 March 2012
31 March 2012 |
High
Medium
Medium
|
|
Talk with residents, not at them - engaging them in two-way conversations rather than simply broadcasting information. |
Enhance and create more ‘joined up’ neighbourhood forums that more effectively engage the public through use of innovative approaches such as Big Debates and ward walks.
Go to people - undertake street surveys, attend public events, facilitate and attend street parties particularly in priority areas.
Ensure that community engagement activities support consultation on the Core Strategy to identifying residents’ needs and aspirations for the New Homes Bonus and Community Infrastucture Levy.
Use visual and accessible approaches, similar to Planning for Real, to engage hard to hear groups such as the gypsy and traveller community on the Core Strategy.
|
Head of Democratic Services, Community Development and Partnerships and Head of Communications
Community Development and Partnerships, and Head of Communications
Spatial Planning and Head of Communications
Spatial Planning and Head of Communications |
31 March 2012
31 March 2012
July 2012
July 2012 |
Medium
Medium
High
Medium
|
|
Maidstone Destination Branding |
|
|
||
|
What we plan to do |
Milestones |
By Whom |
When/Review |
Priority |
|
An investigation into whether a destination brand would add value to Maidstone.
|
Brand Identity Development in the new Visitor Economy Marketing Strategy:
· Identification of the Brand Community. Key stakeholders, not only local tourism providers but also local residents, local business community, local produce suppliers, estate agents, employment agencies, and key travel and transport intermediaries.
· Destination Audit – what our value proposition to visitors is.
· Visitor research on the current image of Maidstone as a destination. |
Visitor Economy Business Unit |
Autumn/Winter 2012 |
High |
Review of Past Performance
|
Objective 1. Ensure citizens are aware of local issues such as the Kent International Gateway and that they have a sense of place. |
|||
|
Action |
Target |
Officer |
Progress |
|
Issue news releases.
Evaluate newspaper coverage in terms of positive, neutral and negative impact.
Media training for Cabinet Members, Overview and Scrutiny and other Committee Chairmen and Council officers.
Meet the Council events for the media with senior councillors and officers
Councillor web pages/social networking sites.
A media plan to highlight the Council’s work and achievements – using the strategic plan and forward plan to capture the work of the Cabinet and overview and scrutiny. This will include communication plans for unpopular as well as popular decisions. |
150 per year with a 94% success rate.
Establish a system to evaluate newspaper coverage in terms of positive, neutral and negative impact 2008-09.
Establish a baseline for newspaper coverage in 2008-09 and improve performance from 2009-10 onwards.
Annually.
Annually.
2009-10.
Annually. |
Public Relations Officer
Public Relations Officer
Public Relations Officer
Head of Communications
Head of Communications
Public Relations Officer/Democratic Services Manager
Public Relations Officer
|
Achieved
Ongoing
As required
Achieved
Ongoing
To be achieved
|
|
Objective 2. Create a high profile for the Council as a dynamic, progressive, efficient and business-like organisation at local, regional and national level. |
|||
|
Action |
Target |
Officer |
Progress |
|
Articles in the local government and national press highlighting the work of the Council/ Maidstone. We will encourage officers to enter awards and publicise applications and successes. We will publicise our responses to Government consultations.
The production of a vibrant annual report feature in Borough Update celebrating the Council’s achievements. This supplement will be circulated to key stakeholders such as MP’s and the Government Office South East.
To maintain and improve the Council’s style guide.
To ensure compliance to the Council’s style guide.
To ensure compliance with the Council’s street-scene branding for Environmental Services and Parks and Open Spaces.
To improve the clarity and presentation of the Council’s websites through coordination of the Information Champions group and Plain English Society training.
To publish financial information and other important information about the Council’s performance in Borough Update and on our website.
|
4 per year.
Annually.
Annual review – to consider new advice on standards for people with learning disabilities.
To provide a briefing note/training on the style guide and communication to all new staff.
All important corporate documents.
100%.
100%.
Annual information about the borough’s council tax.
Annual information about the Council’s performance compared to national indicators.
An annual summary of accounts. |
Public Relations Officer
Marketing Manager/ Overview & Scrutiny and Policy Manager
Marketing Manager/ Marketing Co-ordinator
Marketing Manager/ Marketing Co-ordinator
Marketing Manager/ Marketing Co-ordinator
Marketing Manager/ Marketing Co-ordinator
Marketing Manager/ Marketing Co-ordinator
Head of Communications/ Overview & Scrutiny and Policy Manager
Head of Communications/ Overview & Scrutiny and Policy Manager
Head of Communications/ Overview & Scrutiny and Policy Manager |
To be achieved
Produced for Borough Update and Website.
Local Government Association ‘Producing Better Information for Disabled People’ guidelines published on the intranet.
Provided briefing for all Hazlitt Arts Centre staff.
Each publication is monitored before print.
Ongoing, guidelines completed.
19 Info Champs have been trained, ongoing.
Achieved
Online
Online
|
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Objective 3. Ensure consistency, plain language and total quality in all communications with the public. |
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Action |
Target |
Officer |
Progress |
|
An annual survey of satisfaction with Borough Update.
To promote equalities and Plain English training and Principles.
To promote good email and internet etiquette.
To maintain membership of the Plain English Society.
To improve the clarity of council documents.
To set style guidelines and training notes to ensure the council’s internet sites are maintained to corporate standards.
To insist on the use of Plain English throughout our websites.
To monitor website usage reports and find out what users think about the content and usability of the website. |
To maintain 90+ satisfaction with the publication.
Annual promotions and regular reviews in Wakey Wakey.
Annual campaign to promote the Council’s internet and email response policies and guidelines.
To provide 50 online training courses a year.
To crystal mark at least 5 important high volume letters or documents each year.
Annual review.
Every Information Champion to receive Plain English training.
An annual on-line survey to establish and track user satisfaction with the website and an annual improvement plan to maximise satisfaction, online transactions and website visitors. |
Head of Communications
Marketing Manager
Head of Communications/
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Public Relations Officer /IT Manager
Marketing Manager/Public Relations Officer
Head of Communications/ |
Achieved
Achieved
Ongoing
Achieved
Achieved
19 Information Champions have been trained to date.
Achieved
Ongoing
|
|
Objective 4. Encourage and enable our staff to understand, support and deliver the Council’s vision and priorities adhering to the ethos summarised in our core values (STRIVE). |
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Action |
Target |
Officer |
|
|
To provide staff with visual guides and reminders of the core values.
To publish core values in Wakey Wakey.
To publish core values on the intranet. |
Annually, dependent upon budget.
Annually.
Monthly. |
Marketing Manager/Public Relations Officer
Marketing Manager/Public Relations Officer
Marketing Manager/Public Relations Officer |
Partially achieved
Ongoing.
Achieved. |
|
Objective 5. Engage and empower staff to feel confident in communicating with the council’s stakeholders – customers, councillors, partners, contractors etc. |
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Action |
Target |
Officer |
|
|
To publish a ‘Wakey Wakey’ staff newsletter including links to council news releases.
To hold staff forum meetings.
To hold unit manager meetings.
To issue policy and information briefing notes for managers.
To broadcast a regular webcast to staff.
To encourage ‘two-way’ communication between staff and management.
To promote the availability of deprivation and poverty information.
To maintain and improve the council’s preparedness for major emergencies. |
Weekly – Electronically for most staff; in paper form for other staff.
Every other month.
Quarterly.
Monthly.
Monthly.
Annual campaign to encourage comments via the Reach the Summit performance management system and to highlight the Grapevine and to respond to important issues.
Annually to highlight information on the MaidZone intranet and briefings to unit managers.
An annual review of the media emergency plan to keep it up to date at times.
Annual briefing sessions for key personnel on the media emergency plan. |
Public Relations Officer
Head of Communications/ Head of Human Resources
Head of Communications
Head of Communications
Public Relations Officer
Head of Communications/ IT Manager/Overview & Scrutiny and Policy Manager
Marketing Manager
Public Relations Officer
Head of Communications |
Ongoing
Ongonig
Ongoing
Ongoing – Broom’s blogs
Ongoing
Ongoing
Achieved
Ongoing
|
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Objective 6. Build greater awareness of council services and policies, and involve and engage stakeholders to gain a greater understanding of their aspirations to inform Council policies |
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Action |
Target |
Officer |
|
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To provide documents in alternative formats on request.
To review the communications guide to visual impairment.
To provide briefings to unit managers on accessible communications.
To produce a new ‘Guide to Consultation’ for unit managers.
To produce a timetable of major consultations and consider opportunities for collaboration between council services and other authorities.
To maintain a public timetable of consultations on Digital Maidstone - with individual exercises, comment facility and results.
To review and improve evaluation and reporting back of consultations with a view to providing a new corporate resource for service managers.
To provide information and feedback on the council’s budget consultations in Borough Update and on the website.
To deliver the action plans arising out of the 2008-09 Place Survey
To coordinate the Safer Maidstone Partnership’s Public Reassurance Group.
|
Whenever possible council documents will be published with a statement of the availability in alternative formats.
Annually.
Annually.
2008-09.
Annually.
100%.
Annually.
100%.
To be in the top quartile of Kent districts for Fear of Crime. |
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Head of Communications
Head of Communications/ Overview and Scrutiny and Policy Manager/ Heads of Service
Head of Communications/ SMP Partners |
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing.
Achieved
Forward Plan timetable added to website
Online toolkit and consultation web pages.
A consultation annual report for 2009/10 has been produced.
Ongoing
Disbanded
Disbanded
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Appendix Three
Consultation - Statement of Principles
Consultation should be:
• Inclusive - Involving all sections of the community. When possible information should be available in a choice of formats.
• Open - With real choices.
• Impartial - It should not lead local people to a response.
• Informative - People must be informed to make reasoned decisions.
• Involving - It must enable people to really become involved in the development of proposals.
• Understandable - Plain English must be used.
• Appropriate - To reach all groups there must be a mix of quantitative and qualitative research.
• Strategic - To avoid 'tick box tiredness' consultation should take account of the Council's partner's consultation exercises.
• Joined Up - Is it appropriate to combine consultation exercises?
• Resourced - Sufficient human and financial resources will ensure it is rigorous and reaches all parties.
• Professional - There must be confidence that the results are real and not massaged to produce the outcome favoured by the council.
• Timely - It should be at times people are likely to participate and built into the timetable for service reviews.
• Listened to - It must be owned by Councillors and the results must provide them with real information on which to base decisions.
• Reported - Feedback on the results and how they have informed the decision will build confidence that views are listened to and acted on.
Appendix Four
Public Relations and Editorial Policy
This appendix sets out the Public Relations and Editorial Policy for Borough Update, news releases, media events and enquiries, and Cabinet Road Shows.
• All the Council’s PR and publicity will comply with s2 of the Local Government Act 1986 and s27 of the Local Government Act 1988, and have regard to the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.
• The Council will only publicise and promote Council decisions (executive, committees and council), policies and services.
• Cabinet Members and Committee Chairmen can be quoted in news releases, Borough Update and media statements to explain decisions and policies and to promote Council services.
• The Council will hold photo calls and events to promote and explain decisions, policies and services.
• The Council will be represented at these events by Cabinet Members and Committee Chairmen.
• All Members of the Council will be informed of these events.
• News releases will be copied to all councillors at the same time that they are issued to the media.
• Ward Members and other Members of the Council will be able to attend events.
• Cabinet Road shows and similar Council road shows and events will not be held in wards where an election is due to be held within two months.
• Publicity and presentation materials for Cabinet road shows will be factual and non partisan.
• Ward Members and Group Leaders will be informed of Cabinet road shows as soon as the dates are fixed and invited to attend or send representatives.
• Cabinet Member presentations and answers must be factual and only explain and promote Council decisions (executive, committees and council), policies and services.
• Hospitality at Cabinet road shows and other events will be appropriate and modest.
Appendix Five
Most appropriate communication methods – Maidstone Borough
|
Maidstone District Population - ‘Mosaic’ Profiles |
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|
K & M Segment |
Type Description |
No. of Households |
% of Households |
Most appropriate method of communication |
|
1 |
Kent’s most highly educated and financially successful citizens, living in sought after locations |
13,287 |
20.50% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers |
|
2 |
Affluent older workers approaching a secure retirement, living in pleasant private housing |
12,027 |
18.55% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends |
|
3 |
Young singles and families in steady employment, who enjoy a prosperous lifestyle in relatively small houses |
10,528 |
16.24% |
Internet, personal visit, radio |
|
4 |
Young, full nest families that have recently bought modern, spacious housing |
6,499 |
10.02% |
Internet, email, family and friends |
|
5 |
Immigrants of South Asian descent in a diverse range of professions |
276 |
0.43% |
Internet, family and friends, posters |
|
6 |
Well qualified young students, singles and couples, working in professional occupations and living in urban locations |
1,787 |
2.76% |
Internet, telephone, posters |
|
7 |
Disadvantaged young singles renting small properties in unfavourable town centre locations |
2,061 |
3.18% |
Posters, direct mail, internet |
|
8 |
Deprived families on low incomes with poor employment prospects and heavy reliance on welfare |
8,857 |
13.66% |
Personal visit, posters, newspapers |
|
9 |
Pensioners and older people, some of whom are still working, living on limited incomes with high care needs |
2,460 |
3.79% |
Family and friends, local services e.g. Post Offices, GP surgeries |
|
10 |
Affluent older people retired after successful careers with active and fulfilling lifestyles |
2,148 |
3.31% |
Internet, family and friends |
|
11 |
Small rural communities that are detached from Kent’s main population centres |
4,900 |
7.56% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends |
Appendix Six
Most appropriate communication methods - Wards
|
Ward Number of households |
10%+ or high representations of K&M groups |
Suggested communication methods |
|
Allington (2981) |
K&M 2 - 41%, K&M 4 - 21%, K&M 10 - 19% |
Internet, telephone family and friends, email |
|
Barming (1011) |
K&M 2 - 44%, K&M 1 - 33%, K&M 10 - 12% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends, newspapers |
|
Bearsted (3420) |
K&M 1 - 34%, K&M 2 - 34%, K&M 4 - 10%, K&M 10 - 8% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, family and friends, email |
|
Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton (1013) |
K&M 1 - 38%, K&M 11 - 30%, K&M 2 - 23% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, family and friends |
|
Boxley (3279) |
K&M 1 - 35%, K&M 4 - 26%, K&M 3 - 19%, K&M 2 - 8% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, email, family and friends, face to face, radio |
|
Bridge (2549) |
K&M 1 - 29%, K&M 3 - 18%, K&M 6 - 18%, K&M 2 - 15%, K&M 7 - 8% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, face to face, radio, posters, family and friends, direct mail |
|
Coxheath and Hunton (2924) |
K&M 2 - 30%, K&M 1 - 24%, K&M 11 - 15%, K&M 9 - 5%, K&M 10 - 5% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends, newspapers, local services, local services |
|
Detling and Thurnham (1149) |
K&M 1 - 43%, K&M 4 - 25%, K&M 11 - 13% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, email, family and friends |
|
Downswood and Otham (1141) |
K&M 4 - 48%, K&M 3 - 21%, K&M 1 - 17% |
Internet, email, family and friends, face to face, radio, telephone, newspapers |
|
East (3643) |
K&M 3 - 26%, K&M 1 - 21%, K&M 2 - 20%, K&M 6 - 7%, K&M 9 - 6%, K&M 5 - 1% |
Internet, face to face, radio, telephone, newspapers, family and friends, posters, local services |
|
Fant (3907) |
K&M 3 - 45%, K&M 8 - 17%, K&M 6 - 9%, K&M 5 - 1% |
Internet, face to face, radio, posters, newspapers, telephone |
|
Harrietsham & Lenham (2239) |
K&M 1 - 27%, K&M 2 - 20%, K&M 11 - 16%, K&M 9 - 7% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, family and friends, local services |
|
Headcorn (2025) |
K&M 11 - 30%, K&M 1 - 28%, K&M 2 - 21%, K&M 10 - 6% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends, newspapers |
|
Heath (2333) |
K&M 3 - 26%, K&M 4 - 25%, K&M 2 - 15%, K&M 8 - 14%, K&M 1 - 12% |
Internet, face to face, radio, email, family and friends, posters, newspapers |
|
High Street (3762) |
K&M 3 - 27%, K&M 8 - 25%, K&M 7 - 14%, K&M 1 - 10%, K&M 9 - 6%, K&M 5 - 4%, K&M 6 - 4% |
Internet, face to face, radio, posters, newspapers, direct mail, telephone, family and friends, local services |
|
Leeds (954) |
K&M 1 - 40%, K&M 2 - 28%, K&M 11 - 14% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, family and friends |
|
Loose (937) |
K&M 1 - 50%, K&M 2 - 30%, K&M 10 - 5% |
Internet, telephone, newspapers, family and friends |
|
Marden & Yalding (3031) |
K&M 11 - 28%, K&M 1 - 26%, K&M 2 - 14%, K&M 8 - 13%, K&M 7 - 5% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends, newspapers, face to face, posters, direct mail |
|
North Downs (909) |
K&M 11 - 40%, K&M 1 - 39%, K&M 2 - 16% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends, newspapers |
|
North (3629) |
K&M 3 - 30%, K&M 2 - 19%, K&M 8 - 16%, K&M 4 - 14%, K&M 6 - 7% |
Internet, face to face, radio, telephone, family and friends, posters, newspapers, email |
|
Park Wood (2417) |
K&M 8 - 55%, K&M 4 - 15%, K&M 3 - 15%, K&M 9 - 11% |
Face to face, posters, newspapers, internet, email, family and friends, radio, local services |
|
Shepway North (3337) |
K&M 8 - 48%, K&M 2 - 20%, K&M 4 - 11%, K&M 9 - 6% |
Face to face, posters, newspapers, internet, telephone, family and friends, email, local services |
|
Shepway South (2575) |
K&M 8 - 60%, K&M 9 - 18%, K&M 2 - 11% |
Face to face, posters, newspapers, family and friends, local services, internet, telephone |
|
South (3412) |
K&M 3 - 26%, K&M 2 - 25%, K&M 1 - 21%, K&M 4 - 14% |
Internet, face to face, radio, telephone, family and friends, newspapers, email |
|
Staplehurst (2250) |
K&M 2 - 31%, K&M 1 - 23%, K&M 4 - 17%, K&M 11 - 12%, K&M 3 - 11% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends, newspapers, email, face to face, radio |
|
|
K&M 11 - 33%, K&M 1 - 25%, K&M 2 - 21%, K&M 8 - 10% |
Internet, telephone, family and friends, newspapers, face to face, posters |
