Local Authority Communications Event

1. Local Authority Communications Event Wednesday 19th May 2010

2. Agenda • Welcome - Olwen Dutton, Chief Executive • West 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

3. 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

4. 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?

5. 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

6. 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?

7. 2011 Census England & Wales Sunday 27 March 2011

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. CENSUS BENEFITS Government funding for public sector Local authorities: £25 bn Primary Care Trusts: Over £75 bn

12. Working with local authorities

13. 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

14. CENSUS ROLES Local authority Assistant Census Liaison Managers (ACLM) ONS Area Managers Area Managers & ACLMs: Devise local communications plan Area Managers are census communications leads with local media

15. COMMUNICATIONS National/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

16. CENSUS COMMUNICATIONS March 2010 • National/regional press campaign • Editorial features campaign January 2011 • National advertising/PR campaign launches Census Day - Sunday 27 March April 2011 Reminder campaign

17. ADVERTISING

18. Local authority census communications toolkit

19. WHO, WHAT & HOW? 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)

20. WHY? • 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

21. USING THE TOOLKIT WHO • 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

22. 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

23. WEBSITES www.census.gov.uk/la Toolkit www.censusjobs.co.uk Recruitment

24. C x

25. 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

26. COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT BRYAN WALKER Media Engagement Manager 2011CensusLAcomms@ons.gsi.gov.uk