Communications
Strategy 2014–17
Contents
Executive Summary..................................................................................... 3
Introduction .................................................................................................. 5
Community, Councillor and staff feedback ............................................... 7
Propositions ................................................................................................. 9
Messages ................................................................................................... 10
Stakeholder analysis ................................................................................. 10
Consultation review ................................................................................... 10
Recommended approach and activities................................................... 11
Evaluation................................................................................................... 18
Prepared with the assistance of:
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Executive Summary
In its Council Plan 2013–2017, Macedon Ranges Shire Council identified a key action for 2013/14 to
develop a communications strategy, paving the way for a new direction and a more considered
approach to communication of Council services, community consultation and decision-making.
The communications strategy must be implemented with an operating environment that includes:

A geographically diverse population

The provision of a broad range of services

More than 600 staff and volunteers delivering these services

Five newspapers and 10 community newsletters

The Council’s Shire Life newsletter being the publication with the greatest reach (via Australia
Post’s unaddressed mail service)

A higher than average number of households that have internet connection with some
pockets of little or no connectivity

A recent update to the logo and the introduction of a new brand style guidelines
This communications strategy will enable Council staff working within this environment to deliver
professional communication and ensure residents and other stakeholders have a consistent
experience of dealing with the organisation.
The activities in this communication strategy have been developed around the following goals and
objectives:
Communications goals
1. Communicate effectively with residents, businesses and ratepayers of the Macedon Ranges;
2. Encourage active community engagement in Council decision-making.
Corporate Objectives
1.1. Maintain and improve Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s professional image.
1.2. Ensure consistency in communication activities and customer service within Council.
1.3. Advocate effectively to state and federal governments for improved infrastructure and services
through policies and funding.
Communication Objectives
2.1. Increase awareness of services provided by Macedon Ranges Shire Council and better target
communication to those who need them.
2.2. Ensure at least 80 per cent of media coverage contains Council’s key messages.
2.3. Improve community consultation processes and capability within the organisation.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Activities
To achieve these goals and objectives, a number of activities are recommended. Some of these are
already underway, while others provide a new approach.
This strategy has been developed with an understanding of the existing resources provided to
communications activities, while also recognising that some activities will require additional
resources. The recommended approaches and activities are detailed on pages 11–17.
The critical aspect that will impact on the long-term success and improvement to Council’s
communications is the development of skills and capacity across the organisation to communicate
effectively with the community.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Introduction
The successful implementation of an organisation’s plan, such as the Council Plan, requires ongoing
communication between staff and external stakeholders. A communications strategy provides a
framework for the organisation about how it will plan its communication activities in a coordinated
and effective way. It should:

Ensure consistency in messages, writing style and branding

Outline the mediums that will be used

Define the roles and responsibilities of those who will implement it
Improved communication brings a number of benefits to an organisation such as:

Cost savings (for example, reduced spend on advertising and print production through a
lower reliance on print communication)

Greater retention of key messages by target audiences

Greater utilisation of services by the community

Greater community engagement, which promotes higher levels of satisfaction across
services

Positive changes in attitude towards the organisation, which in turn supports employee
morale and productivity.
Council’s community satisfaction survey results for the last five years show there is room for
improvement in the areas of advocacy, consultation and communication.
This strategy details how the Council can improve its communication with residents and ratepayers
and achieve the benefits outlined above.
The strategy reflects the desired directions, input and outcomes articulated by the Councillors, the
CEO, management team, the project working group and the community, collected through the
following activities:

Phone calls with Councillors

A workshop with Councillors and the CEO

Two meetings with the project working group

A meeting with the management group

Regular meetings between the consultants and the Communications team

Feedback received from a community survey conducted in Nov–Dec 2013.
The views and opinions collected through these activities have been combined with additional
suggestions that Council may like to consider to improve its return on communication investment.
A prominent theme that emerged during the discussions was the need to adopt a more rigorous
consultation approach. This means applying greater consistency to the way Council conducts
consultations, in accordance with its Community Consultation Framework.
It was clear from Councillors that they would like a better understanding of the most appropriate
channels available to promote various Council news and initiatives as well as a clear framework for
annual communication activities.
The strategy has been designed to guide the communication activities across the organisation to
ensure that all communication is coordinated and connected with the Council Plan. The strategy
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
outlines how Macedon Ranges Shire Council can communicate its policies, programs, services and
achievements to all its constituents in an efficient and effective way.
The aim is to ensure that there is a level of consistency in both the look and branding of the
communication mediums and messages. This will require input from staff across Council and is not a
task that the Communications unit can achieve on its own.
The role of the Communications unit is to act as both an enabler for core activities such as the
website but also to act as an advisor to other members of the organisation who may require support
and advice on issues like branding, content and appropriate channels to use.
Adopting a whole-of-organisation approach, where each person understands their role and
responsibilities in achieving the key goals and objectives in this strategy, is recommended.
For an organisation as diverse as a council, this outcome can only be achieved with the support of
senior managers, appropriate training of staff and a measurement system to track the results on a
regular basis. This strategy recommends all three.
This strategy should act as a guiding framework for the development of other communication plans
and delivery of communication activities by all departments, services and projects to ensure a
consistent and efficient communication effort designed to achieve the key goals outlined in the
Council Plan.
This communications strategy should be updated regularly as a living document that:

clearly communicates objectives aligned to the Council Plan

identifies and analyses key audiences and stakeholders

includes an up-to-date key message matrix

determines the best mix of channels and communication tactics to convey key messages

provides an annual communication plan

determines the appropriate resourcing strategy required to best implement the
communication strategy and action plan including the structure, skills sets and budget

outlines crisis and issues management procedures

provides an ongoing review and evaluation process.
This strategy contains both strategic and tactical components. While relevant at the time of writing,
circumstances can change rapidly. This strategy needs to be adjusted according to changes in the
organisation and in community information needs and communication preferences.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Community, Councillor and
staff feedback
Community feedback
A survey was sent to the community determine their preferred communication requirements. The
key findings of this survey were:

There is a demand for more electronic communication via email and social media.

There is a demand for more face-to-face communication via ward and community meetings.

Over one-third of respondents said that the information they received from Council was too
little.

Most respondents rated their understanding of the range of services Council provides as
average.

Respondents showed a relatively high appetite for information about Council services
generally, as well has how they are funded. A number also commented that they would like to
be better informed about Council meeting agenda items and decisions.

Events/tourism, environment/land management, community infrastructure and arts/cultural
activities were the four most popular topics to be informed about.

Community infrastructure, events/tourism, environment/land management and
roads/footpaths were the four most popular topics to be consulted about.

Email, online surveys, face-to-face and over the phone were the top four preferred methods
for having a say. Written surveys and submissions rated the lowest.

A high proportion of respondents found the website easy to use, however the ease of finding
information rated lower than the quality of the content.

There was a low level of awareness of Council’s current Facebook presence.

A high proportion of respondents actively read the Shire Life newsletter and found it
interesting and easy to read, relevant and informative. Over 50% said they were interested in
receiving it in email format.

Council advertisements in local papers were the most popular method of receiving Council
information. Most respondents said they read Council advertisements in the local
newspapers, most or some of the time.

The type of content that respondents were most interested in finding in Council
advertisements were events/activities and news.

There were also a range of findings about communications preferences for particular cohorts
(by age, gender and location).
Councillor and staff feedback
When the key elements of the situation analysis were discussed with Councillors and staff the
following feedback was received:
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Communications

Many residents aren’t aware of the services Council offers or what Council does for them.
The only contact they have with Council is when something is wrong. For example, residents
will call Council when a tree has fallen down or there is a pot hole needing to be filled etc.

There needs to be some education and awareness of the range of services. This needs to
occur through a range of different communication channels i.e. website, face-to-face, phone,
newsletters.

Early communication is needed whenever possible (pre-emptive rather than just responsive)
as proactive communication that ‘sells’ Council and its services has been ad hoc.

Council should ensure prompt response to questions.

Rate-payers need to know where to find information about Council services relevant to them.

Communication needs to consider diversity of residents (geographic, demographic, level of
interest).

Considerable work has gone into the new Council Plan to ensure it is written in plain English
and is easily understood, however, staff and residents still may not understand the Council
Plan but will be more interested in the outcomes for the community.

Council should consider electronic delivery of the newsletter via email (Australia Post Digital
Mailbox).

The vision is for the website to be the first place residents go for all information.

There is a need to be more strategic in communication with residents and ratepayers,
ensuring we use the most appropriate channels.

Council is now piloting some social media campaigns. These are running successfully.
Council needs to provide rules around how we use / respond to conversations on community
social media pages – before the piloted campaigns there were ‘heaps’ of emails received due
to a community Facebook group that got ‘out of control’.

Feedback on social media needs to be captured as a public record.

Council has a new brand, logo and branding guidelines and these need to be used and
applied consistently and appropriately.

An increase in face-to-face communication will reduce the reliance on text-based
communication.

Council should strive for accuracy and a high standard of communication across all
departments.

Staff are a key stakeholder as both an Council employee and a resident. At times there may
be a conflict between with Council’s position on an issue and the personal opinion of a staff
member.

Everyone (all staff) is responsible for Council communication.

It is important for staff to know who they should communicate with and how.

Staff are a valuable asset. If they are well informed, they can share information about Council
services. It should be recognised that staff have varying skill levels in regards to
communication. It should also be recognised that staff are residents and they may have their
own view on Council decisions (might not agree with ‘key messages’ personally).

If staff are expected to communicate with residents and other stakeholders, appropriate
training and support needs to be given.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17

There should be communication policies and guidelines to assist staff.
Consultation

Consultation and engagement efforts need to target the right people.

There should be a coordinated approach to consultation and engagement i.e. no
duplications.

Council needs to make sure it ‘closes the cycle’ by getting the information back.

Consultation should be inclusive of all impacted groups and residents.

Communication about consultation and engagement opportunities should be relevant and
engaging.
Propositions
On the basis of the situation analysis and initial discussions with Councillors and staff, the following
propositions were presented to test and explore current practices and identify areas for improvement.
They received a positive response.

It’s ok that residents are not aware of every service that Council provides.

The size of job advertisements could be reduced by putting the main content on the website
rather than in the advertisements. QR codes could also be used to more readily link people to
further info online, and track this interaction.

There is a need to review the papers Council currently advertises in according to circulation
figures, geographic coverage and the readership habits of residents.

There is an opportunity to review the format and frequency of Council composite ads, to
better consolidate advertising space and ensure more relevant local content is published e.g.
instead of weekly composites, run them fortnightly and then run a monthly ‘What’s on’ events
column with a message from the Mayor.

There is an opportunity to consolidate current communication policies and guidelines into a
single, user-friendly document that is positive, not restrictive and will assist in the delivery of
the communication and consultation activities.

Residents must be able to access information about services, and how Council spends
money collected through rates, across a range of communication tools and methods.

Council needs to engage with stakeholders through both a face-to-face and text-based
communication rather than rely on text based communication.

The majority of communication is text based and there is a need to increase verbal, two-way
and face-to-face communication.

Council needs to increase the use of social media as a means of communicating with and
collecting feedback from the community, especially specific groups.

The use of the new brand needs to be audited to ensure a high level of compliance with the
guidelines.

Consultation training for staff is required.

Consultation resources, including a consultation plan template, would make it easier for staff
to seek feedback and input from residents more effectively.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17

Reports presented to Council must demonstrate how the consultation team have applied the
principles.

Council should be prepared for issues and crisis that could put the organisation’s reputation
at risk or disrupt normal business practices.
As the feedback to these propositions was positive, they are reflected in the recommended
approaches and activities.
Messages
The communication of Council’s goals, as expressed in the Council Plan, will be achieved through
the development and use of a message matrix. This matrix will expand upon the Council Plan goals,
expressing them in plain and meaningful language and linking them to individual service areas. It can
be used as a guide when developing anything from media releases and publications to website
content and community presentations.
Expanding the messages to cover each of Council’s services under each goal will be a significant
task, but when completed should provide all Council staff with a framework for producing
communication material with consistent messages. It should be stored in a location that is accessible
to staff for use in their publications and referred to when producing any communication material.
When producing communication material, it is likely to have one or two messages that relate to the
Council Plan, as well as several messages that relate to one of the following themes:

service

consultation

advocacy

emergency management

event

Council decision.
These messages should also be drawn from the matrix where possible. They should form the
framework for the communication material, which can then be expanded to meet the specific
requirements.
Stakeholder analysis
As part of the implementation and ongoing review of this strategy, Council should conduct a regular
analysis of its stakeholders, including their values, interests and concerns, preferred methods of
communication and consultation, and their relevance to the Council Plan. This analysis should be
reviewed and updated regularly, and in response to annual communications surveys.
Consultation review
A component of the brief for this strategy sought recommendations to improve Council’s consultation
framework and two recently conducted consultations undertaken by the organisation. This analysis
has been undertaken through a desktop review, and the recommendations will inform the review of
Council’s Community Consultation Framework to be undertaken in 2014.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Recommended approach and activities
Approach
Activities
Priority
OBJECTIVE 1: Maintain and improve Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s professional image
1. Document and clarify roles and
responsibilities for Councillors, Management
and staff relating to corporate image,
communication and customer service
1.1.
Review current policy documentation that defines roles and responsibilities for Councillors, CEO, EMT and other staff and ensure that it
includes a statement on communication responsibilities.
1
1.2.
Communicate roles and responsibilities, utilising team meetings, staff newsletter, intranet and other available means.
1
It is important that this initiative is not a one-off exercise, but rather the roles and responsibilities are regularly communicated and
reinforced.
2. Have clear guidelines that all staff and
Councillors can use
3. Ensure staff and Councillors are adequately
trained in using the guidelines
2.1.
3.1.
Currently Council has a number of policies and guidelines. It is recommended that these existing documents are incorporated into a single
communications guidelines document with the following sections:

Key messages

Communication planning

Corporate writing style

Branding style

Social media best practice

Writing for the web, email and SMS text messages

Video production

Verbal communication and presentation

Accessibility

Consultation
Identify communication ambassadors in each department. Ideally, communication ambassadors will be the early adopters in each
department. They undergo detailed training in the above guidelines.
2
2
Background—the ambassadors would be a ‘go-to’ person within each department on communication issues which they are equipped to
advise on. They should be in regular contact with the Communications team. The results of quality assurance reviews (see approach 5
below) should be discussed with the ambassadors.
3.2.
Develop/run a regular communication training program for key staff who are likely to manage communications or consultation activities.
Training should cover all aspects of the communication guidelines including:

media relations

social media and SMS

verbal communication

plain English, email, letter and report writing

web writing and publishing

email campaign development/distribution

community consultation/engagement
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
2
Approach
Activities
Priority
3.3.
2
Run information sessions annually with staff on communication objectives, key messages and communications guidelines to ensure these
are reflected in all written, verbal and visual communication.
This can be supported through a number of existing channels such as the internal emails, newsletters and staff meetings.
4. Maintain a professional brand image and
visual identity
4.1.
Ensure that the branding guidelines are following for all publications and promotional material.
1
Background—where possible, use professional graphic designers, particularly for shire-wide communications. Make professionallybranded templates available for internal use by communications ambassadors (see above), who are trained in how to use them.
For quality assurance, the communications team should be involved in the production of publications and promotional material.
4.2.
Develop and maintain a cross-organisational online image library using professional, local, up-to-date imagery.
1
Background—this library should be accessible to all staff and house all photographs taken and used across the organisation for
communication purposes.
This library should be refreshed regularly with new imagery. It can be built up over time using a combination of photos taken by staff, stock
imagery, and professional images sourced externally.
5. Periodically monitor use of the
communications guidelines
5.1.
6. Continue to develop customer relations
skills of staff and volunteers across all
service delivery areas
6.1.
Review the Customer Service Charter to incorporate guidelines on customer relations and communications for all staff and volunteers.
2
6.2.
Incorporate appropriate training and guidelines into existing induction programs.
2
Develop a simple quality assurance (QA) process for communications materials and activities.
2
Background—the QA process should be undertaken on a regular basis to check compliance across the organisation with communications
guidelines and identify needs for further training or support. Results should be circulated to the Executive team and discussed with each
department’s communications ambassador to identify opportunities for improvement and any need for further training/support.
Background—most Council staff and volunteers interact with the community at some level. The skills to successfully relate to members of
the community and communicate Council’s core values and messages will be beneficial to the overall perception of the organisation.
OBJECTIVE 2: Ensure consistency in communication activities and customer service within Council
7. Develop consistent messages that align with
the Council Plan
7.1.
Develop a message matrix that provides overarching key messages for each objective in the Council Plan and individual service areas.
1
8. Develop and maintain a key issues register
8.1.
Develop and maintain a key issues register for identified major projects and initiatives. The register should list the relevant spokesperson,
target audience/stakeholders, any action being taken, and approved key messages.
1
Background—the register would cover two types of issues: the first will need to be dealt with in a short timeframe due to their urgent
nature. The second type is those that require community engagement and consultation to develop an appropriate position.
Key staff should be identified as having responsibility for incorporating issues into the register, such as Managers and Customer Service
staff. The issues register should be presented to the Executive team for discussion on a regular basis.
9. Develop an issues and crisis management
procedure
9.1
Develop a standard procedure for managing major issues and crises. The procedure should be tested periodically (e.g. annually) through a
simulation exercise.
NB: Council already has emergency management plans and processes in place, including communications plans, for external hazards
such as bushfire, flood or heatwave. These will continue to be dealt with using the plans and procedures that are in place under Victorian
Government legislation.
Background— A written issues and crisis management procedure assists with managing issues and guides staff and Councillors who
must communicate during a crisis, particularly where there are adverse impacts on the organisation and/or the community. This procedure
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
2
Approach
Activities
Priority
will detail:

What constitutes a major issue or crisis

A process for identifying and dealing with a major issue or crisis when it first arises

Members of the major issues or crisis team, their responsibilities and where and when they will meet

A mechanism for collecting and analysing information about a major issue or crisis

Key messages and a communications plan for managing the impacts on the community e.g. service disruption/business continuity
OBJECTIVE 3: Advocate effectively to State and Federal governments for improved infrastructure and services
10. Develop an advocacy plan for Macedon
Ranges Shire
10.1.
It is recommended that Council develop an advocacy plan that documents the key priorities and the stage of readiness of each priority.
3
OBJECTIVE 4: Increase awareness of services provided by Macedon Ranges Shire Council and better target communication to those who need them
11. Use the most effective communication
channels
11.1.
Promote Council services via existing community events and markets, and coordinate relevant events/expos in partnership with community
agencies (e.g. Children’s Day Out, Pet/Animal Expo, Age-friendly Expo).
2
11.2.
Research the effectiveness of existing communication by conducting regular QA reviews (as per 5.1 above), community/resident surveys,
and reviewing website, social media and customer service call statistics.
2
Background—a communications survey was conducted with residents as part of this strategy. It showed there was a desire for more
electronic and face-to-face communication than is currently provided.
The suite of tools currently used reflect the practices of the majority of Councils. Like many Councils, there is a heavy reliance on print and
text-based communication rather than visual, audio and face-to-face.
It is recommended that research is conducted at a minimum every two years to determine which communication tools are most effective
and to identify opportunities for improvement. The existing community satisfaction survey could be used to achieve this outcome.
11.3.
Maintain the existing five editions of the Shire Life newsletter, make it available in alternative formats (email or online) to those who cannot
access it via post, and introduce more resident-focused content in response to community feedback via the communications survey.
1
Background—12% of respondents to Council’s Communications Survey said they don’t receive the Shire Life. Australia Post distribution is
not 100% reliable, as sometimes entire streets or new estates are missed from postal runs. In addition, the newsletter does not reach
ratepayers living outside the shire (absentee landowners). For these reasons, it is also recommended that Council make the Shire Life
available online via its website and in email format via a subscription database
In survey feedback about Shire Life, there was a desire for local content and stories about local people. There are many ways that this type
of content can be introduced into the publication, to give it a stronger community focus.
11.4.
Review current advertising arrangements, including the newspapers Council advertises in and the format and frequency of advertisements.
Background—in response to the results of the communications survey, which showed that a large proportion of residents like to receive
Council information via advertisements and prefer to read about news and events. Community newsletters also rate highly as a way to
receive Council information; many of these provide advertising space.
Council could consider the following:
1. Review and potentially reduce the number of newspapers in which Council currently advertises for all news, events, notices, tenders
and employment—Council currently advertises in three out of five local newspapers. The distribution areas of these papers overlap,
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
1
Approach
Activities
Priority
resulting in some duplication, as well as some gaps in coverage.
2. Review the format and frequency of these advertisements. For example, Council could place composite adverts once a fortnight
instead of once a week by encouraging staff to plan their communications well in advance around this schedule to achieve timely
coverage of their projects. Council could also insert a monthly ‘What’s on’ column in one or two papers (or bi-monthly in between Shire
Life editions).
3. Reduce the size of employment ads (linking off to the website using QR codes and shortened URLs).
4. Increase advertising in community newsletters. For example, place a full page ad in each township newsletter every 2–3 months to
provide an update on what’s happening in that town from a Council perspective.
11.5.
Continue to review and update the New Resident Kit regularly, and review its distribution to ensure it is received by all new residents (e.g.
post to new ratepayers recorded on Pathway, real estate agents, retirement villages and social/community housing providers).
2
11.6.
Increase and improve audiovisual communication through online and face-to-face channels, e.g. use of video via the website and social
media, and mobile technology (such as iPads) in face-to-face interactions.
2
Background—Council does not currently have an active YouTube channel. It is recommended that this form of communication be
expanded in a strategic way, by applying some logic to the messaging and structure of the YouTube clips. Clips could be produced for
each of the areas in the Council Plan, with an overarching one produced as well. Guidelines and training around video production would
need to be developed.
In addition, it is recommended that a monthly update is produced and uploaded to YouTube. These clips should be short and feature a
Councillor as spokesperson. The aim is to provide a quick snapshot of Council activities and decisions.
11.7.
Periodically review the financial support provided to community newsletters and hold an annual function for community newsletter editors.
2
Background—Council currently provides $800 per annum to each community newsletter (this was recently increased from $500).
Once a year, it is recommended that Council host an event to talk with the editors of the community newsletters. The Mayor and
Councillors could also be invited to attend this event.
12. Hold periodic communications briefings with
the Councillors and the Executive and
management teams
12.1.
Periodically brief Councillors, the Executive and management teams on communications matters. A report should be developed which
covers progress of:

Quality Assurance reviews

The issues register – Directors can also raise new issues to be placed on the register

Communication and consultation activities

The communications strategy implementation
1
Once reviewed/approved by Executive, this monthly report should be shared with Managers and Coordinators and presented at team
meetings (See activity 1.2).
13. Implement a communications plan template
and procedure for all services and projects,
including change communication for
impacts to services/business continuity.
13.1.
Ensure communication plans are developed and approved (by Managers/Directors/ Communication) for services and projects which
require communication with the community.
2
Review/monitor/report on their implementation via regular communications briefings (12.1) with the Executive team.
Completed plans should be kept in a central repository for others to review and learn from.
14. Cross-promote electronic communication
13.2.
Develop and maintain an annual communication activity plan to ensure there is an appropriate balance/spread of activity throughout the
year. Align with consultation calendar below (21.2)
1
14.1.
Cross-promote electronic communication through traditional mediums. For instance, the Mayoral update in the local paper could also be
2
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Approach
Activities
Priority
produced as a YouTube clip, with the URL for the YouTube clip promoted in the Mayoral update.
15. Increase the use social media
15.1.
Investigate the merit of establishing a Council Facebook page and further ‘service-specific’ Facebook pages, as well as a Twitter account
and YouTube channel. To support this, a social media plan should be developed that:

Defines goals and objectives

Defines the social media marketing mix (which channels to use—Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc)

Sets out the content strategy (including an activities calendar with timelines and content to be posted)

Defines integration and posting automation (how will content across social media channels be integrated? How can residents share
content and posts? How can this be automated using online tools like Hootsuite and Tweekdeck for scheduling updates?)

Defines migration of audiences from one channel to another, e.g. how can Council direct friends from the pilot Facebook pages to
the main page? How can Council direct Facebook friends to become Twitter followers?

Defines how the plan will be monitored and evaluated.
3
15.2.
Develop and maintain best practice usage guidelines for key social media channels, particularly Facebook (incorporate into 2.1 communication guidelines above)
1
15.3.
Provide regular social media training (as per 3.2) for approved Council social media authors that covers:
1

Best practices for various channels

Crafting and scheduling posts

Moderation

Telling stories through infographics, videos and memes

Example photo editing tools

Creating an editorial calendar for social media communication.
15.4.
Review the social media policy periodically and educate staff on the requirements, including examples of reasonable/unreasonable
personal/professional use.
1
15.5.
Incorporate regular social media monitoring into media reporting processes.
2
To make the most out of social media, Council should be tracking the exposure of its social media messages, listening to what its audience
(including residents) are saying about Council and analysing this data to include in communication reviews and reports.
16. Target existing communication channels of
the community groups and stakeholder
representative organisations
16.1.
17. Make all information available via the
website in a way that is clear, accessible,
user-friendly and up-to-date
17.1.
Continue to provide content for community groups to include in their communication channels.
1
Council should continue to look for opportunities to place content within communication channels of various community groups. This
includes articles on their websites and in their newsletters.
Develop and maintain an overarching web content management plan, and templates for each publishing area to follow.
Background—a web content management plan helps to determine and document the ‘who, when, why, how’ of website content. This is
particularly important for Council due its distributed authoring model. It should include the person responsible and the timing / frequency of:

Maintenance (ongoing website changes by department, scheduling, reporting)

Access

Process (workflow, approvals)
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
2
Approach
Activities
17.2.
Priority

Training for web publishers

The content strategy (the approach to providing content that should reflect Council’s vision).
Conduct regular website user, browser and device testing, and surveys, and user statistical analysis reporting.
2
Background—user needs and behaviour are complex and change over time, as do devices and browsers used to access the web. As
such regular testing is essential to ensure that the website continues to be accessible and meet end user needs.
User testing evaluates, from the user's perspective, the ease of use and provision of appropriate information on the website. As residents
complete various tasks on the site, they provide feedback, advising what they like and dislike and any difficulties they have. This
information can be used to revise the site either immediately or when longer-term improvements are being made (see 17.3 below).
The website’s functionality and usability can be seriously affected by different browsers and devices, making the site inaccessible to some
users. Testing should cover all mobile devices (iOs and Android, smartphone and tablet), and all main browser types and versions.
17.3.
Develop a plan for future improvements/enhancements to the website.
2
Background—best practice for online communication tools is constantly changing due to advances in technology and varying end user
preferences. For this reason, it is recommended that a plan is developed for future website improvements to ensure it does not become
outdated and to respond to issues that arise from the website user testing (see 17.2 above).
18. Engage the community in the decision
making process around the budget
18.1.
Advocate to the Municipal Association of Victoria and/or partner with other councils to explore the development of a budget calculator
game or smartphone app.
3
Background—this encourages locals to think about the daily decisions Council makes, as well as decision-making process around setting
the Council budget. It puts residents in charge of setting the budget with a limited pool of money. The player sees how taking funds from
one initiative to put into another might make one group of residents happy but disgruntle the other group.
A smartphone application already exists called ‘Run that town’ which lets players take control of any neighbourhood in Australia. ‘Run that
town’ uses real Census data to help users discover who lives in the area and make decisions that will sway popular opinion.
If developed, the application could be promoted in the lead up to the development of each new budget as a way of getting people to think
about the budget process and all the services Council provides.
Due to the development costs involved, it is recommended that Council explore this idea with the Municipal Association of Victoria and
other councils, as a shared project.
18.2.
Explore the production of YouTube clips summarising the budget process (pre-adoption) and the adopted budget (post adoption).
3
Background—the purpose of this is to provide a greater understanding of how Council develops its budget, and to showcase the initiatives
that Council funds and manages, making residents more aware of everything that Council offers to the community.
Posting these videos on YouTube also allows them to be shared on other social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter.
For these videos to be developed, appropriate budget would be required and/or production capabilities would need to be developed inhouse, with accompanying guidelines.
18.3.
Include a budget feature in the Shire Life newsletter profiling the budget process and opportunities for residents and ratepayers to have
their say.
1
18.4.
Pursue further community engagement activities around the budget and associated service provision.
2
OBJECTIVE 5: Ensure at least 80 per cent of media coverage contains Council’s key messages
19. Implement an effective media relations
19.1.
Provide regular media briefings. This activity is currently underway and it is recommended these briefings are continued.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
1
Approach
program
Activities
Priority
19.2.
Conduct weekly monitoring/reporting of media coverage. The media reports should analyse the key messages and also incorporate the
results of any social media monitoring.
1
19.3.
Refine protocols for staff and Councillors to follow in approaching the media and preparing/issuing media responses and releases.
1
Background—these should be included in the communication guidelines and explain the process for approaching the media, assigning a
spokesperson, preparing and issuing a media response or media release, message selection and quotes, and approvals processes.
19.4.
Enhance/maintain media spokesperson skills.
1
Background—conduct regular media training for Councillors, Directors, Managers and Coordinators as required (as per 3.2 above)
OBJECTIVE 6: Improve community consultation processes and capability within the organisation
20. Ensure the Consultation Guidelines meet
best practice and have measurable KPIs, and
that there is an appropriate reporting
framework for all consultations
21. Ensure consultation activities are planned
and timed appropriately
20.1.
Review/update the consultation principles and framework. A review of two consultations has already been conducted by an external
consultant.
1
Once Council’s framework and principles have approved by Council, they need to be communicated across the organisation and placed on
the website. The revised version should contain a planning template that staff can use to plan a consultation.
20.2.
Indicate in Council briefing papers how the Framework principles and matrix have been applied/followed (for projects that require
community consultation).
2
21.1.
Develop a consultation planning template which is signed off by relevant Manager and Directors, and the Communciations unit.
2
The consultation planning template should be used for all consultations. It should be signed off by the relevant Director. It will be important
to cross-check the activities with the Consultation Principles that are adopted by Council.
21.2.
Develop an annual or six monthly consultation calendar to ensure there is an appropriate balance/spread of activity throughout the year.
The aim of the plan is to avoid any duplication in consultation activities and minimise consultation fatigue. This can also be built into the
annual communication activity plan (13.2 above).
2
22. Review and extend the suite of consultation
mechanisms/channels
22.1.
As part of the review of the Consultation Framework (20.1 above), investigate additional consultation channels/methods to be included as
part of the consultation matrix, including online and face-to-face options.
1
23. Enhance/maintain community engagement
and consultation skills
23.1.
Conduct regular engagement training for staff (as per 3.2 above)
2
24. Share examples and learnings
24.1.
Have a central repository on the intranet of best-practice examples of consultation and engagement programs that have been run by
Council.
3
The purpose is to use the case studies as example that people can learn from and use when producing their own engagement plans.
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Communications Strategy 2014–17
Evaluation
The methods of evaluating the objectives have been outlined in the table below.
Objective
Measurement
Maintain and improve Macedon Ranges
Shire Council’s professional image
Use the quality assurance procedures
Ensure consistency in communication
activities and customer service within
Council
Quality assurance reviews
3.
Advocate effectively to the Victorian and
Australian governments for improved
infrastructure and services through policies
and funding
Success in securing commitments from the
Victorian and Australian governments
4.
Increase awareness of services provided
by Macedon Ranges Shire Council and
better target communication to those who
need them
Additional questions included in the annual
community satisfaction survey or separate
annual communications survey
5.
Ensure at least 80 per cent of media
coverage contains Council’s key
messages.
Media analysis of key messages
6.
Improve community consultation processes
and capability within the organisation.
Annual community satisfaction survey
1.
2.
Annual community satisfaction survey
Development and implementation of
communications plans
Website, social media and email newsletter
user statistics
Consultation reporting tool
Development and implementation of
consultation plans
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Communications Strategy 2014–17