Communicating with communities
Research shows that there is a clear link between how satisfied local residents are with local public services and how well the council communicates. It is essential that councils communicate properly with their local communities. Failure to consult, listen to and act on what local residents request and need, means an organisation that is not properly equipped to provide relevant and useful services to local people.
Closer to People and Places
The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched its vision for local government ‘Closer to People and Places’, an important part of which, is putting local people right at the centre of local public service provision. Many councils have already started redesigning their services to ensure that this happens, but the ‘Closer to People and Places’ vision wants to ensure that neighbourhoods and communities always have the opportunity to influence local decision-making about public services.
More information about ‘Closer to People and Places’ is available on the LGA campaigns website.
Reputation
Recent figures show that there has been a 20% rise in the amount of people who feel they get value for money from their council. Councils have been working hard to improve their image with local residents and through the local government reputation project, which is supported by the LGA and IDeA. Over 170 councils have signed up to the following 12 core actions, the aim being to improve their reputation with service users.
Cleaner, Safer, Greener
- adopt a highly visible, strongly branded council cleaning operation
- ensure no gaps or overlap in council cleaning and maintenance contracts
- set up one phone number for the public to report local environmental problems
- deal with ‘grot spots’
- remove abandoned vehicles within 24 hours
- win a Green Flag award for at least one park
- educate and enforce to protect the environment
Communications
- manage the media effectively to promote and defend the council
- provide an A-Z guide to council services
- publish a regular council magazine or newspaper to inform residents
- ensure the council brand is consistently linked to services
- communicate well with staff so they become advocates for the council
Find out more about the reputation campaign on the LGA website.
Find out more about what councils are doing to communicate effectively with their communities on the IDeA website.
Local Democracy Campaign - ‘take part take power’
The LGA’s Local Democracy Campaign aims to make councils more relevant and useful to young people, encourage young people to ‘take part take power’, make Local Democracy Week (in October) bigger and better, increase councillor involvement in citizenship teaching in schools and get councils to devolve power, wherever appropriate, to local people.
More information about the Local Democracy Campaign is available at www.localdemocracy.org.uk.