Agenda item

The Head of Corporate Communications introduced the update on internal and external communications and provided Members with a detailed overview of the report. It was reported that the Corporate Communications team aimed to produce the strategic narratives for the Council and ensure that stakeholders were well informed about resident services.

The report provided a summary about the Council’s core communication functions, campaigns and marketing, publications and social media use. Members heard about key outcomes and achievements of the Corporate Communications team’s work and some of the challenges faced with the decline in local press. The report highlighted the changes in the website function and the publications format to enhance the use of other corporate communications channels to reach out further to residents digitally.  

In response to Member questions on how the Council evaluated the effectiveness of its communication campaigns and whether residents were well-informed about local issues, it was explained that various evaluation mechanisms were used to assess the impact of communications, such as digital analysis, media and survey responses and campaign outcomes. The Council was also exploring new methods of communication platforms such as TikTok and WhatsApp to reach different audiences and improve the connection with residents. It was acknowledged that social media could have a positive impact in spreading information.

For future reporting, Members requested a comparison table of media relations information from previous years to determine the different levels of progress made.

Members welcomed the sharing of news around law breaking residents in terms of fly tipping and breach of licensing conditions.

The Committee discussed the different uses of social media. It was noted that although  the Council had more followers on Twitter than Facebook, there was more engagement with residents via Facebook. Officers advised the Committee that the higher number of followers on Twitter was due to the Council being an early adopter of the platform. 

Although the maintenance of notice boards did not fall under the Corporate Communications team, Member points about them looking empty and the suggestion of stock posters would be fed back to the relevant service area.

The Committee queried how different teams within the Council coordinated with each other to spread information about the services available to residents. The recent campaign of the availability of blood pressure equipment in libraries was mentioned and it was noted that the Corporate Communications team had worked with the libraries to amplify this message to increase awareness and uptake. This was done through social media, posters, inclusion in the Hillingdon People and general promotion through the libraries team.  In terms of different accounts for specific services, it was explained that there was  strict process for approving and managing social media accounts for services. Accounts needed to be managed effectively  with efficient resources and compliance with the Council’s social media policies.   It was also noted that the Corporate Communications team had a higher number of  followers than most service accounts.

The Committee reflected on the Council’s communication with the NHS. Members asked for further information on  how the Corporate Communications team worked with different departments and partners to avoid duplication which could lead to resident frustration. The Head of Corporate Communications explained that there was a good partnership model with the NHS and the police, and they shared and amplified each other's messages such as the police’s recent recruitment campaign. With the transformation activities, the team would work on highlighting the benefits of residents having an online account. 

During Member discussions it was noted that pre covid posters and leaflets were sent to GP surgeries often however there was a need to be mindful of sending excessive paper. The text messaging type communication to convey key messages was important and worked well with GP  users. The possible use of digital boards was being explored in libraries and the Civic Centre to reduce the use of printed resources and make the medium more visually engaging.

The report showed an increase in followers and engagement across different platforms, except for Nextdoor, which had a decrease due to a change in algorithm. There was reduced use in the on the platform.  Members requested information on  the use of paid social media campaigns and it  was confirmed that the Council had used paid social media campaigns. These had been proven to be effective as demonstrated in the Council’s recent fostering campaign.

Members thanked the Head of Corporate Communications for the good report and found it to be interesting and helpful.

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the contents of the report.