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Training Presentation
Communication skills for Chairmen and Councils
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My Story - Jennie Thomas
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CiLCA-qualified Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer at Stone
Parish Council, Kent
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Quality Council Status since 2009
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4,700 households, approx. 10,000 population
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Precept 2013-13 £223,040; Budget £364,400; Communications
budget £7,500 (2%)
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Introductions
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Who are you?
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Which Town/Parish do you represent?
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How many years have you been a councillor?
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What is your experience of communications as a councillor?
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What do you hope to get out of this workshop?
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Agenda
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Discussion: Barriers to communication (10 mins)
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Presentation: The basis for effective communications (30 mins)
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Activity: Planning a communications activity (30 mins)
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Q&A session (10 mins)
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DISCUSSION
What are the barriers preventing effective communications?
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What do we mean by communication?
Communication is the process of transmitting ideas and information.
For a local council, that means conveying the value and the benefits of
your organization, the issues it deals with, and its accomplishments to
the community.
Surveys have shown that the majority of people get most of their
information about their council through the media, particularly the local
press and residents are most positive about their council in areas
where the council has a good relationship with the local press.
Communication should be an on-going activity for any organization that
serves, depends upon, or is in any way connected with the community.
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What is a Communications Plan?
Planning is a way to organize the actions that will lead to the fulfilment
of a goal. Your goal in this case is to maintain on-going awareness about
your council’s long-term benefits to your community.
Your plan will determine:
WHY?
WHO?
WHAT?
HOW?
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Why do you need a Communications
Plan?
“A goal without a plan is just a wish”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail!”
Benjamin Franklin
“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end
up some place else”
Yogi Berra
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When should you develop your Plan?
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As your organization begins planning objectives and activities, you
should also begin planning ways to communicate them; successful
communication is an on-going process, not a one-time event.
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As part of the annual budget-setting process, local councils should
determine the community, operational and service objectives for the
forthcoming financial period, conclude the preferred way of
communicating the necessary messages for each agreed strategic
element, and then ensure an appropriate communications
budget is allocated to enable the communications plan to be
put into action.
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How do you develop a
Communications Plan?
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1. Identify your Purpose
What you might want to say depends on what you’re trying to
accomplish with your communication strategy. You might be
concerned with one or a combination of the following:
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2. Who are you trying to reach?
DEMOGRAPHIC
ATTITUDES
GEOGRAPHIC
TARGET
GROUPS
BEHAVIOUR
NEED
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3. Determine the Message
Formulating a good message is vital for the success of any
communication. The message reflects what you want target groups to
know, feel or do, and reflects why they should know, feel or do it.
What goes into a message?
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A message is a translation of the communication objective for that
target group.
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The message uses words that are easy to understand by the target
group.
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The message is in the language of that group.
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4. Which methods to use?
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The choice of means to communicate the message depends on the
communication targets, the characteristics of the target group, the
message, the budget and your experience with the means.
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Interpersonal means make direct contact between the
communicating parties and take many forms.
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Methods of Communication
Verbal:
Word of mouth, face-to-face, networking,
presentations & briefings
Media Relations:
News stories in print or broadcast media, press
releases and press briefings
Online:
Website; email, social media
Offline:
Newsletters, posters, brochures, and fliers, letters
Events:
Launches, fairs, focus groups, and consultations
Visual:
Branding, design, images, fonts
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5. Resources
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What do you have the money to do? Do you have the people to
make it possible? If you’re going to spend money, what are the
chances that the results will be worth the expense? Who will lose
what, and who will gain what by your use of financial and human
resources?
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Your plan should include careful determinations of how much you
can spend and how much staff or councillor time it’s reasonable to
use.
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What does it cost? How to budget for
communication?
Most local councils have limited budgets. Deciding how to spend
them for the best effect is an important strategic decision.
Maintaining your relations with the public is vital. Factoring in a
budget for communication helps assure you are not set up to fail.
Communications costs
Personnel (employee time/external support)
£?
Materials (design and production)
£?
Distribution (delivery/postage)
£?
Media space (advertising/airtime)
£?
Organisational (copying, office supplies, telephone calls)
£?
Total
£?
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6. Contingency Procedure
Make sure appropriate council policy or procedures are in place so that
everyone is clear about their roles and responsibilities in such
circumstances.
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7. Strategic Relationships
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8. Evaluation
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Social Media Savvy
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Activity
Putting it into Play…
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How can Chairmen support
council communications?
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How can Chairmen support council
communications?
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Ensure clarity and understanding of the difference between corporate
communications and that of individual councillors or Chairmen
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But, ensure all members reinforce council corporate messages through individual
expression
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Ensure a sufficient communications budget is included in the annual budget and
encourage members to appreciate the need and benefit for this
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Follow council communications procedures if crisis or contingency is required
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Consider key communication messages during agenda item discussion
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Give media quotes that are consistent with the council’s position on a particular
subject
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Foster good relations with relevant stakeholders who can help transmit your
message
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Your Action Plan
Next steps to more effective communication…
ACTION PLAN:
Identify two personal communications objectives that you will begin work on
immediately:
1.
2.
Identify two council communications objectives that you will submit for
consideration as part of imminent budget discussions
1.
2.
Identify one area of communications on which you will seek further training:
1.
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More Information
Useful Publications:
‘Getting your message across’ – A communications toolkit for local
councils (NALC/CRC accessible at www.nalc.gov.uk)
‘Connected Councillors’ – A guide to using social media to support
local leadership) I&DEA
Useful links:
www.tweetyhall.co.uk - A comprehensive list of local councillors using
Twitter
www.kindofdigital.com/useful-stuff/quick-guides/ - One page guides to
using social media