Local Authority Communications Event Wednesday 19 th May 2010

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

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 –News –Events –Discover the West Midlands Sub regional/council areas Password/CMS access –Online work forums Communications network?

Communications Tools Social Media - 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: or

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

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

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

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 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

TOOLKIT CONTENTS Background briefing National / regional advertising, PR and press How local authority communicators can help Tools –Media release suggestions –Leaflet / poster copy –Newsletter / editorial –Picture resources –Online resources – web content, copy etc. –Census co-branding –Front line briefing Key contacts

WEBSITES Toolkit Recruitment

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FOUR THINGS TO DO Download toolkit from Contact your Assistant Census Liaison Manager Register with Census LA Communications Teams Community of Practicewww.communities.IDeA.gov.uk Create 2011 Census page on your own website and link to

COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT BRYAN WALKER Media Engagement Manager