Agenda item

 The Head of Policy informed Members that the draft communication strategy for Hillingdon would build on the communications strategy of ONS. Hillingdon would communicate the Census through a variety of ways such as through Hillingdon People, the public website and its Street Champions. 

 

The publicity would begin with an article in Hillingdon People in January; internal briefings would be given to staff as a number of staff were residents of the Borough. In addition there would be displays in libraries and the Council would also give consideration to the use of social network sites, such as Facebook. The Council’s many public notice boards would be used and work would take place with ONS in relation to the provision of posters in different languages to reflect the ethnic diversity of the Borough.

 

Members were provided with details of the London Borough of Hounslow’s draft communication strategy which was a comprehensive document. Members asked that officers give consideration to some of the areas which this strategy covered. It was agreed that Hillingdon’s draft communication strategy be made available for Members. 

 

Lambeth Census Focus Group

 

At the last meeting of the Committee, Members asked that measures which this focus group had suggested which would improve participation rates be provided for the review. These measures included:

 

·        Early implementation of a Census awareness raising campaign

·        A clear explanation of what the Census was, what it was used for and why it was important for residents to participate

·        Localise the message, help people to see it as important to the Borough, rather than a national initiative

·        Focus the message around the increased funding the Council would receive from central government and the positive impact this would have on service delivery

·        Include case studies of potential improved service delivery which were relevant to ‘hard to count’ groups

·        Emphasise that the money would be spent on better quality services to combat cynicism about Council ineptitude

·        Publicise the translation sheet at the back of the Census questionnaire envelope and inform people that they could phone a free helpline number or download an information pack in their language

·        Give an explanation that the Census questionnaire would only be addressed to the occupier but that it was still an important document

·        The targeting of places of worship through engaging with priests and pastors etc

·        Targeting foreign newspapers. For example in relation to Polish newspapers; Panorama, Cooltura, Polish Express and websites

·        Reference was made to the Census in Poland which was known as Spis Ludnosci. This or other foreign equivalents to the Census could be used in publicity

·        Information posters and leaflets about the Census could be left in nurseries, schools, churches, pubs etc. Also in shops selling foreign cuisine

·        Attendance at tenants association meetings to explain the importance of the Census, engaging with prominent figures on estates to explain and encourage their tenants to complete the Census form

·        The running of Census sessions in schools to explain to children the importance of the Census and to encourage them to explain to their parents why they should fill the Census forms in

·        Front line Council and partnership staff to ask residents that they encountered whether they had completed their census form

·        Engaging all community faith leaders to pass on information about the Census to their congregations

 

Members asked that consideration be given to using some of the methods and ideas to improve the engagement and participation of ‘hard to count’ groups within Hillingdon. In addition reference was made to the Council’s Citizenship Ceremonies and using these to communicate the Census to people who attended these ceremonies.

 

Discussion took place on the importance of engaging with schools and Members were informed that some local authorities had undertaken “Mini Censuses” in schools, bringing in a history element to make the subject interesting. Reference was made to providing information on the importance of the Census to children which would enable discussions to take place with their parents and thus reinforce the Census message. 

 

ONS Draft Communications Strategy

 

Nick O’Donnell and Amanda King of ONS attended the meeting and provided Members with details of the Census Communications strategy for 2011.

 

·        Advertising campaign would run from February till May 2011

·        The campaign would be insight based and would be influenced by education, engaging and enforcement

·        The first phase of education would run from 21 February – 17 March

·        Phase 2  - engaging and “call to action” – 18 March till 6 April

·        Phase 3 – enforcement – 7 April till 1 May

·        The education phase would aim to promote awareness and understanding of the Census benefits. It would give the general public the reasons of why to take part in the Census

·        The advertising campaign would be up-weighted for student, youth and Black Minority Ethnic (BME) audiences

·        The National TV advertising would consist of 30 second adverts. There would be a national outdoor advertising campaign with large bill board posters

·        BME audiences would also have TV advertising in relevant languages and press advertising in relevant languages

·        A Census purple coloured bus would travel around London to increase the general public’s awareness of the Census

·        Phase 2 – “Call to action” would give everyone clear direction of what they needed to do and when

·        The national TV campaign in Phase 2 would be high frequency 10 second TV adverts with a clear message of “it’s time to fill it in”. There would be a National outdoor campaign at heavyweight and premium sites

·        There would be online and mobile advertising for youth and student audiences

·        Reference was made to the work which would be carried out in student residences and that efforts should be made to engage with foreign students to ensure the message of the Census got across

·        Phase 3 would clearly state what the consequences of non-compliance would be. The potential of a fine would be a motivator to some people

·        Local partnerships would continue to be developed with local authorities and the Third Sector.

·        There would be BME parents outreach events in schools

·        There was an on-line BME photo competition around a ‘Then and now: family stories’ theme

·        Reference was made to the work being carried out with secondary schools with CensusAtSchool. This was an educational programme provided by the Royal Statistical Society Centre for Statistical Education. The real life example of the Census was used to teach mathematics and statistics in schools

·        The Census would be written into the story lines of TV programmes such as soap operas 

 

Protocols would be developed in collaboration with local authorities in relation to carers and other front line staff in relation to communicating the Census and also completing the Census questionnaire on behalf of clients.

 

Other possible areas which could be looked out included working with the trade unions, contacting the Public Records Office and perhaps having a link on their website to the Census. ONS Officers said they would investigate these ideas.

 

 

Dover District Council

 

The review was provided with information in relation to Dover District Council and how the authority was dealing with migrants and refugees. ONS officers had been made contact with migrant community organisations that offered help and support to recent and longer term migrants in and around the Dover area.

 

The promotion of Census completion was being carried out through these organisations and all promotional materials were being provided in a variety of languages. Members noted that many of these communities were often hesitant to provide official authorities with information on themselves and the objective was to gain the trust of these people.

 

Migrants tended to settle in small geographical areas and ONS would be linking in with local shops and using these as information hubs. Local Gateways would be used to promote the Census, links would be developed with local letting agents who would be asked to promote Census completion to tenants.

 

Crawley

 

At the last meeting of the Committee Members asked that information be obtained from Crawley on how the issue of refugees who had arrived at Gatwick Airport would be dealt with. Members were informed that the Area Manager of ONS for the Crawley area would work with the Home Office on this and would visit detention centres to gauge the numbers of people detained. This would also take place at Heathrow Airport in the case of Hillingdon.

 

Members thanked officers for attending the meeting, particularly those officers from ONS who had kindly attended the three witness sessions, and had provided the review with comprehensive information on the preparation for the Census.  

        

Resolved –

 

1.      That the information provided from the witnesses form part of the evidence for the review.

 

2.      That an extra meeting of the Committee take place in December, when consideration be given to an outline final report with suggested recommendations.          

 

3.  That this Council’s draft communication strategy be sent to Members of the Committee.