local authority communications event

Local Authority Communications Event

Wednesday 19th May 2010

Agenda

Welcome - Olwen Dutton, Chief ExecutiveWest Midlands Leaders Board Communications – Jo Kite, Head of Comms– Sub-regional communications

Communicating 2011 Census – Bryan Walker, Office for National Statistics– Questions

Coffee and networking

What is the Leaders Board?

Replaces WMLGA and some functions of WMRA– Statutory responsibilities from April 2010– Range of services for local government

Represents all councils in West Midlands– Board comprises all 33 council leaders – All signed up to our commitments

Part of your authority

Communications Tools

Website http://www.wmleadersboard.gov.uk/

– News– Events– Discover the West Midlands

• Sub regional/council areas• Password/CMS access

– Online work forums• Communications network?

Communications Tools

Social Media– @WMLeaders - we’re following

you!– We want a range of voices - Leaders

Electronic Newsletters– Headlines (weekly to Chief Executives)– Keynote (quarterly to all 1800 councillors)– Policy Update (monthly to officers/stakeholders)

In the Pipeline– WMLB leadership awards– Local Authority Best Practice Publication

Contact: h.fitzgibbon@wmleadersboard.gov.uk or 0121 245 0181

Effective communications

Sub-regional groups• Birmingham• Black Country• Coventry, Solihull, Warwickshire• Herefordshire, Shropshire & Telford• Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire • Worcestershire

How do you link in?What you want from us?What can you provide?Should we do this again – what kind of speaker?

2011 Census England & Wales

Sunday 27 March 2011

CENSUS HISTORY

• An estimate of the whole population– every town, every village, every street

• Once a decade since 1801 (except 1941)• Compulsory under the 1920 Census Act• Run by the Office for National Statistics

CENSUS FACTS & FIGURES

• 25 million households in England & Wales

• 35 million questionnaires

• Temporary workforce of around 35,000

• Up to 3m calls expected to the public contact centre

• 2 billion pieces of information

WHY WE NEED A CENSUS

• Allocate national and local resources

• Planning investment and services

• Support policy development and delivery

e.g. housing, transport, health, employment & economy

•10 year benchmark for all social statistics

• Gives nationally consistent insights for small areas and small population groups

CENSUS BENEFITS

Government funding for public sector

Local authorities: £25 bn

Primary Care Trusts: Over £75 bn

Working with local authorities

LOCAL AUTHORITY LIAISON

• Developing the address register • Building community profiles to assist enumeration• Promoting the census in your area• Developing community liaison contacts• Identifying local candidates for local field staff

recruitment• Supporting local census field teams• Supporting the delivery of quality data you can trust

CENSUS ROLES

ONS

Area Managers

Local authority

Assistant Census Liaison Managers (ACLM)

Area Managers & ACLMs:Devise local communications plan

Area Managers are census communications leads with local media

COMMUNICATIONSNational/regional advertising : TV & radio, cinema, print & press, outdoor and online

National/regional media relations

Target population communications: Students, BME, older people

Local authorities ideally placed to support local communication

CENSUS COMMUNICATIONS

March 2010- National/regional press campaign- Editorial features campaign

January 2011• National advertising/PR campaign launches

Census Day - Sunday 27 March

April 2011Reminder campaign

ADVERTISING

Local authority census communications toolkit

WHO?• Communications and PR teams in local authorities

WHAT?• Tools and information that can be used in local

communications on census

HOW?• Developed by 2011 Census media team with input from

Local Authority Communications Advisory Group (LACAG - 15 councils across England & Wales)

WHO, WHAT & HOW?

• Maximise response• Reduce variations in response rates between areas• Help in reaching target population groups

2001 outcome• 94% questionnaire return rate• Some areas under 70%

2011 objective• Maintain overall response• Reduce variability between areas

WHY?

USING THE TOOLKITWHO

• Council staff and members

• Partners – PCT, voluntary sectors, police etc.

• Local residents and community groups

• Local media

WHAT

• Raising awareness of 2011 census

• Engaging with key community groups

• Encouraging participation

• Informing partners

• Communicating key census messages

TOOLKIT CONTENTS• Background briefing • National / regional advertising, PR and press• How local authority communicators can help• Tools

– Media release suggestions– Leaflet / poster copy– Newsletter / email editorial – Picture resources– Online resources – web content, email copy etc.– Census co-branding– Front line briefing

• Key contacts

WEBSITES

www.census.gov.uk/la

Toolkit

www.censusjobs.co.uk

Recruitment

C

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FOUR THINGS TO DO

• Download toolkit from www.census.gov.uk/la

• Contact your Assistant Census Liaison Manager

• Register with www.communities.IDeA.gov.uk - 2011 Census LA Communications Teams Community of Practice

• Create 2011 Census page on your own website and link to www.census.gov.uk

COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT

BRYAN WALKERMedia Engagement Manager

2011CensusLAcomms@ons.gsi.gov.uk