Reputation Resource The Official Launch Emily Robinson

Reputation Resource – The Official Launch Emily Robinson, LGA Ian Ratcliffe, Stockport Fiona Narburgh, Wychavon New Reputation Project Team

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.

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)

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

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

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? • • •

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)

Findings - Implementation of Original Campaign • Survey among Heads of Communications LGA Reputation Campaign was groundbreaking 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

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 • •

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

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?

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)

Lessons Learned - The best are getting better… • Strategy not tactics • Branding not logos • Campaigns not leaflets • Strategic e-media not new media obsession • Staff engagement not just internal comms • Services and customer service delivery matters • Leadership not just management • Evaluation tracking performance

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

The 3 Big Issues 1. Leadership • Clarity of purpose • Commitment 2 Brand 1. What you stand for 2. Values 3. Trust 3. Communications • Competence • Strategy • Evaluation

The 5 Rules of Reputation 1. Prove you provide value for money 2. Always make sure you are consistently informing and engaging residents and staff - feedback 3. Build trust and confidence in what you do 4. Improve key services, showing you are doing so 5. Focus on changing lives for the better – happier, healthier

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

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

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

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!

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

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