Meeting documents

WDC Info Sheets - Improvement & Review Commission
Thursday, 21st July, 2005

Info Sheets - Improvement & Review Commission 2005, 1-2005 Draft Communications Strategy

 

 

 

     INFORMATION SHEET

 

Committee:                  Improvement & Review Commission

Issue No:                1/2005

Date Issued:        21 July 2005

Title:                             Draft Communications Strategy

Officer Contact: Eddie Russell, Tel: DDI HW 421103, Email: eddie_russell@wycombe.gov.uk

 

 

DRAFT COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

 

The attached draft is an updated version of the draft Strategy presented to the Improvement & Review Commission on 15 June 2005 and it incorporates amendments recommended at that meeting.

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

REVISED DRAFT

July, 2005
 

1.

Improvement and Review in Wycombe

 

 

1.1 Wycombe District Council is a local authority that chooses to set exacting targets with respect to improving the quality of life for its residents. It represents a large, diverse population. Through the work of its Members and staff the authority continues to rise to the challenges of the new millennium.

1.2 The Commission’s principal aims are to contribute to –

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providing excellent Council services at an affordable cost;

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improving public satisfaction with the Council and the services it provides;

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achieving accessible, transparent and inclusive decision making.

1.3 Improvement and Review is based upon a common sense approach designed to complement and add value to the work of the Executive. The focus on improvement is allied to strong desire to engage the public in its work.

1.4 The Commission provides a corporate mechanism to review the Council’s performance against targets and to examine other quality of life issues that reflect the public’s concerns. This is undertaken through involving and consulting local communities in order to help the Council achieve its vision.

1.5 The Commission strives to ensure the public is better informed and able to gain a fuller understanding of the Council’s policies and priorities. As an interface between public organisations and the people it serves, it is important that the Commission communicates effectively with both service users and providers.

2.

Communication Objectives, Principles and Key Messages

 

 

2.1 The Commission promotes clear, timely and appropriate communication in order to:

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ensure that Members and officers are aware of and understand the role of improvement and review;

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promote the value added by improvement and review and provide information on review outcomes;

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promote the work of improvement and review and scrutiny function locally, regionally and nationally.

2.2 The Commission supports the Council in its commitment to maintain and build upon its reputation for accessible, accountable and open communication with the public, reflecting the four basic principles of public scrutiny:–

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providing a ‘critical friend’ challenge to executives as well as external authorities and agencies;

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reflecting the voice and concerns of the public and its communities;

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taking the lead and owning the scrutiny process on behalf of the public;

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making an impact on the delivery of public services.

Communication Characteristics

 

 

3.1 The Commission is committed to transparency achieved through public participation at meetings and seeking contributions from expert witnesses and representatives from a wide range of community organisations. This approach is designed to gain the benefit of expertise on particular issues, to inform debate and to represent the wider public view.  

 

3.2 The Commission will draw on the expertise of External Relations, seeking guidance where necessary and ensuring that its activities contribute to the overall communications aims of the organisation.  

 

3.3 A key aim will be to provide a coherent, structured and recognisable approach to delivering review reports and findings. These will adhere to a corporate style, ensuring improvement and review is recognised as a key element of the vision for public service improvement within the Council. Guidelines will be adopted to reflect a distinct, less formal style of working.

 

3.4 Allied to this, the Commission will seek to create public awareness of its role, encouraging engagement of the community wherever possible. Working through the External Relations team, news releases and information sheets will ensure that the local media is fully aware of improvement and review issues. Completed reviews will trigger news releases on findings and recommendations. If warranted, media briefings will be held to underline review outcomes.

 

3.5 A scrutiny section on the Council’s website, incorporating an interactive facility, supports the work of the Commission, raising awareness and stimulating engagement.

Achieving the Commission’s Objectives

 

 

4.1 A principal characteristic of the Commission is that it is Member led. The Strategy will promote Member involvement to underline its democratic credentials and community leadership role. In publicising the outcome of reviews and related activities it is assumed that Members will perform the leading role in this respect.

 

4.2 The following schedule places particular emphasis on raising awareness with regard to the local media. However, it is recognised that through a strong commitment to contributing to service improvement via networking with other local authorities and bodies such as the Centre For Public Scrutiny, the potential for regional and national publicity must be acknowledged.  

Activity

Responsible Officer

Performance Criteria

General

Work Programme

 

Head of Corporate and Committee Administration

Secretariat Manager

Work Programme reflects the Council’s and the public’s priorities

Public participation

in Commission and Task & Finish meetings

Scrutiny Support Officer

External Relations Team

Active public engagement:

1.

Members of the public in attendance

2.

Number of written statements submitted by the public

Agendas and Reports

Secretariat Manager

Scrutiny Support Officer

Accessible style and format adopted

Promotional Literature

Scrutiny Support Officer

External Relations Team

Range of up to date material available to promote the work of the Commission

‘Update’

 

Scrutiny Support Officer 

External Relations Officer

At least one article per issue on the work of the Commission

‘Community Voice’

Scrutiny Support Officer

External relations Officer

 

1.     At least one article per issue on the work of the Commission

2.     Percentage of households reached by the publication

Media Relations

Newspaper interviews with Commission Members

Scrutiny Support Officer

External Relations Team

 

Nominated Commission Members

1.     Number of local newspaper interviews per quarter given by Commission Members communicating improvement and review achievements

2.     Readership of the newspaper carrying each interview

Radio interviews with Commission Members

Scrutiny Support Officer

External Relations Team

 

Nominated Commission Members

1.     Number of local radio interviews per quarter given by Commission Members communicating improvement and review achievements

2.     Listenership of the radio station broadcasting the interview

Media Briefings

Scrutiny Support Officer

External Relations Team

1.     Number of briefings per quarter communicating improvement and review achievements

2.     Number of reporters attending

News Releases

 

Scrutiny Support Officer

External Relations Team

1.

Number of Commission articles appearing in the local media

2.

Number of media requests for follow-up information

3.

Number of public responses to news releases asking for input

Networking

Scrutiny Officer

Network (South East)

Scrutiny officers through the South East Employers Organisation

Attend at least 3 meeting a year

Scrutiny Members Network (South East)

Nominated Commission Members

Attend at least two meetings by March, 2006

Centre for Public Scrutiny (CPS)

Nominated Commission Members and officers

Attend at least two events by December, 2005

Training

Commission Member Training

Scrutiny Support Officer

1.

Action on delivering training priorities identified by Members by autumn, 2005

2.

Development Programme agreed by December, 2005

Website

Commission web page

 

Scrutiny Support Officer

Web Manager

1.     Number of responses received from the public per quarter

2.     Replies to queries sent within 3 working days

Areas for Future Development

ACTVaR/HIOW Capacity Building Programme

Customer Relations Manager

Scrutiny Support Officer

Five Member Training Modules available for use March 2006

Bucks Scrutiny Officer Network

Customer Relations Manager

Scrutiny Support Officer

Set up by July, 2005 with at least two meetings a year

Host Scrutiny Event

Scrutiny Support Officer

Successful offer to host at least one regional event by March, 2006

Intranet

Customer Relations Manager

Scrutiny Support Officer

Dedicated section added to Green Pages on Commission activity by September 2005

Operational arrangements

Head of Service

Secretariat Manager

Scrutiny Support Officer

Guidelines produced to underpin a style of working that that engages the public and takes the Commission into the community by March 2006

Performance Indicators

Scrutiny Support Officer

Indicators adopted by October 2005

Evaluating Success

1.

Monitoring public satisfaction with the Council through surveys, “Have Your Say” section on the Council website and District Circle. Appropriate measures adopted as performance indicators on an ongoing basis.

2.

Improvement and Review performance indicators in 2006/07 show 5% year on year improvement.

3.

An informal group headed by the Commission Chairman to meet by May 2006 to judge effectiveness of the Communications Strategy.