Reputation – This Conference

1. Reputation Resource – The Official Launch Emily Robinson, LGAIan Ratcliffe, StockportFiona Narburgh, WychavonNew Reputation Project Team

2. Reputation – This Conference • Three sessions covering this; 1. Tuesday night’s AGM – Background, overview and feedback from you 2. Yesterday – Workshop session on Reputation Index results 3. Today – Official launch – result findings, recommendations and Reputation Resource • PLUS themes picked up in sessions each day.

3. Reputation – This Conference • Today we will cover: • Looking back – The 2005 Campaign (Emily) • Looking forward - The 2010 Resource (Ian) • The 3 big issues, the 5 rules and what’s in it for you (Fiona)

4. 2005 LGA Reputation Campaign • Communication actions • 1. Effective media management • 2. Produce an A-Z guide of services • 3. Publish a regular magazine or newsletter • 4. Brand services well – get the credit • 5. Provide good internal communications • Cleaner, Greener, Safer actions • 1. Ensure a visible and branded cleaning presence • 2. Ensure no gaps in cleaning contracts • 3. Use one telephone number for all street problems • 4. Know where the grot spots are and why • 5. Set a 24 hour target for action on fly tipping and abandoned cars • Get Green flag awards for parks • Educate about the environment and enforce its protection

5. Since 2005 - Satisfaction with councils down How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way your local council runs things? 2006 Base: Place Survey 2008/09 (352 local authorities), BVPI 2006 and 2003 (387 local authorities) BVPI 2003 Inner London mean excludes Islington, Newham and Tower Hamlets, BVPI 2003 Outer London mean excludes Croydon Source: Ipsos MORI

6. LGComms Actions since 2005 • LGComms & LGA recognised world moving on • Focus on strategy • The Chief Executives’ Challenge • Core Competencies for Senior Communicators • Was it owned by the sector beyond communications? • Do Councils have up-to-date set of tools for managing reputation?

7. 2010 New Reputation Project Methodology • Got your views - Survey of Heads of Comms • Feedback/ input at many events • Met Chief Executives/ experts • Visited case studies • Statistics and Research • Reputation Index (from place data)

8. Findings - Implementation of Original Campaign • Survey among Heads of Communications • LGA Reputation Campaign was ground-breaking • Welcomed by sector • For first time gave basic standards • Two-thirds of Heads of Communications said they used it • BUT self-reported • Fully implemented? • AND only takes you so far

9. Reputation Index • Analysis of existing data • Place Survey 2008-9 • Earlier BVPI surveys • Identifies drivers & barriers to improving reputation • Data for councils to compare themselves with peers • Basis for developing LGComms resources to help councils boost satisfaction levels

10. Desk Research & Reputation Index • VFM most powerful driver of satisfaction • Street cleaning - most important service • Being ‘on their side’ • 2-way communication • Still strong correlation between Informed Rating & overall satisfaction • Community cohesion & perceptions of anti-social behaviour

11. Overall Findings - 1 • Councils that undertook core actions to high standard saw positive results e.g newsletters • Campaign helped improve perception of communications within councils • Heads of communications tended to ‘own’ the communications core actions • BUT what about rest of the organisation?

12. Findings - 2 • Self-assessment – bluffing ourselves? • Quality dimension ignored? • Strategic direction? • Senior buy-in? • Best authorities moved beyond actions to LEAD (leadership, evaluation, action, drive council agenda)

13. Lessons Learned - The best are getting better… • Strategynot tactics • Brandingnot logos • Campaignsnot leaflets • Strategic e-medianot new media obsession • Staff engagementnot just internal comms • Services and customer service delivery matters • Leadership not just management • Evaluation tracking performance

14. Conclusions • Original project set standards for first time • Failures – mainly of scope and implementation • Degree standard, not Key Stage 1

15. The 3 Big Issues • Leadership • Clarity of purpose • Commitment • Brand • What you stand for • Values • Trust 3. Communications • Competence • Strategy • Evaluation

16. The 5 Rules of Reputation • Prove you provide value for money • Always make sure you are consistently informing and engaging residents and staff - feedback • Build trust and confidence in what you do • Improve key services, showing you are doing so • Focus on changing lives for the better – happier, healthier

17. What LGA/LGComms will do now • Send to your Chief Exec • LGA and LGComms web www.lga.gov.uk/reputation • LGA Annual Conference • Run regional workshops • Run LGA sessions for Chief Executives/roundtable • Profile in LG press • Competition

18. What’s in it for you? • Clarity as to what to spend limited time and resources on • The business case for reputation • A Reputation Test to build top team awareness • A reputation index to see how you perform in your context • ‘

19. What’s in it for You? • ‘How To’ guides on web, engagement, magazine and others • LGA and LGComms web resources • We need your case studies and stories • LGA/LGComms - Peer reviews tailored to your needs

20. What to do on Monday • Read and absorb • Start the debate – get it on your management team, your comms team and your finance teams’ agendas • Run an event for Cabinet • Do a review of your performance on the Reputation test • Tell, sell and act • Do it!

21. Conclusion • Recognised changed world – social networking, place, partnerships • Financial climate means focus on the right things • How we keep residents with us through the cuts will be critical • New Resource will help you focus • We need your feedback on implementing it in your council

22. Thank You • To our consultants Ian Farrow & Russell Pask • To the Reputation Steering Group • To the LGA for all their support • To LGComms for their confidence • To you and everyone involved in the project in shaping what is here today