TO FOLLOW
Minutes:
Consideration was given to a draft final report of the review which contained some suggested recommendations for discussion.
A discussion took place on these suggestions and Members asked that the following recommendations be contained in the review’s final report:
· The Council was in the process of redesigning the public website and this could be an opportunity to revisit the Hillingdon First Card web pages and look at its design
· The use of Council notice boards in town centres, within sports centres, libraries and other Council establishments to display information about the card and businesses which were part of the scheme.
· The use of other notice boards around the Borough if possible
· Subject to costs, leaflets to be produced
· The linking of the promotion of the Hillingdon First Card with events such as Hillingdon Pride which could showcase local businesses which were in the scheme. This could increase the footfall for local businesses Linked into this could be the organisation of promotion awareness days to jog residents’ awareness of the benefits and uses of the card
· A focus on district promotions and the targeting of the Borough’s various shopping areas to re-promote the Card
· Continuation of the use of Hillingdon People to publicise the card. The use of case studies of businesses who had found participating in the scheme rewarding
· Looking at other avenues of publicity for the scheme such as Resident Associations’ newsletters
· Officers to investigate whether information on the Hillingdon First Card could be sent out with Council Tax bills
· To ask estate agents in Hillingdon to provide information to would be house buyers on the Hillingdon First Card scheme
· Greater publicity should be given to 17 year old drivers who resided in the Borough being entitled to a Card. Officers were asked to investigate asking organisations such as motoring driving schools to publicise this to young people at 17 years of age who were taking their driving tests
· Officers to work with Chambers of Commerce on a re-promotion of the Business Directory which would include re-looking at the categories that businesses were put into the Directory
· To look at the use of discounts and whether this could be changed to businesses providing “offers”
· To approach the Hillingdon Chambers of Commerce on the possibility of using their Member’s page on their website for the promotion of the Hillingdon First Card
· Asking Drek Associates when undertaking their annual review to investigate whether businesses on Industrial Estates, self employed businesses (plumbers, electricians etc) who were residents of the Borough would participate in the scheme. This to be carried out within existing budgets.
· Where possible, the introduction of QR codes on marketing material to increase the profile of Hillingdon First Card. This would include on posters which were displayed on public notice boards throughout the Borough and where possible, on display in businesses which were part of the scheme
· The Communications Team and the Partnership and Business Engagement Team work closely together on the outcomes of the review.
The review had indicated that the Hillingdon First Card had been very successful, particularly in relation to car park charges, but the Committee considered that the review had provided an opportunity to re-promote the scheme and to look at the greater participation of businesses in the scheme. This would be for the benefit of the residents and of local businesses.
The Committee noted that a number of the recommendations of the review would involve a significant communications campaign which would need to be planned and fully costed. It was agreed that officers be given flexibility on the best approach to ensure ideas for promotion added value.
RESOLVED -
1. That the recommendations of the review be incorporated into the Committee’s final report for submission to the Cabinet.
2. That the final report be approved by the Chairman of the Committee in liaison with Democratic Services before it is submitted to Cabinet.