Local Government Reform... COMMUNICATION MATTERS Seminar

Delegate feedback report

March 2013

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Introduction

More than 100 delegates attended the Local Government Reform COMMUNICATION MATTERS seminar on 17 January 2013. There was wide representation across key stakeholder groups including local government, DOE, other central government departments, and the business, voluntary and community sectors.

Speakers

Eileen Beamish, Director of the Social Research Centre, spoke on her research which evaluated staffs’ perceptions of the effectiveness of communication during the reform of the health and social care sector.

Eileen’s presentation is included in Appendix 1 of this report.

John Brown, former head of Public Relations and Marketing at Glasgow City Council and Strathclyde Regional Council, drew on his experience of leading the communications during Scotland’s re-organisation of local government in 1996.

John’s speaking notes are included in Appendix 2 of this report.

Delegates

A lot of feedback was generated from the table discussions. Where appropriate, the communications strategy has been updated to reflect this and further feedback is summarised below:

Communication roles of others within the organisation Organisations must recognise that the communication role extends beyond that of communication officers and senior management teams. Appendix 1 of the communication strategy ‘roles and responsibilities’ has been updated to reflect this. The gist is that consideration should to be given to other areas, such as ICT & HR, and appropriate training should be provided, in for example:

• Change management • Communication skills • Stress awareness, stress handling skills, addressing the emotional impact of job

loss, retraining, transfer, relocation, job changes on staff • ICT • Dealing with difficult situations

Communications role of STCs and incoming councils during the shadow period In addition to the groups included in the communication strategy under section 4 ‘roles and responsibilities’, in due course further cognisance needs to be taken of the STCs and incoming councils during the shadow period. Key communication issues for STCs / incoming councils to address include:

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• Communicating key messages in run up to council elections and afterwards • Appointing a senior team to lead communications during the shadow period and

beyond • Working closely with the communications function and SMT of outgoing councils

to ensure clarity of communication roles and consistent messaging • Communicating the vision and strong leadership of the new councils, structures,

roles, contacts, budgets and staffing issues.

During the shadow period, outgoing councils and departments with transferring functions should retain responsibility for communicating with their own staff on issues such as employee options and transfer proposals. Externally, they should continue to communicate on service delivery matters for which they are responsible up to 2015.

(NB: the strategy will be updated to include the ‘shadow councils’ roles later this year)

Internal communications The importance of face-to-face, consistent communications led by the CEO / Senior Management Team remains the most important and preferred method for internal communications with all groupings e.g. council employees, transferring staff, councillors and trade unions.

Communications with elected members was discussed and NILGA’s role in communicating with elected members is clarified in Appendix 1 of the communications strategy.

Communicating with the business, voluntary and community sectors A need was identified for greater local communications with the business, voluntary and community sectors, with emphasis on specific issues including:

• Planning reform (of particular interest) • Procurement • Contractual issues • Changes in taxes / rates • Council powers, services and contacts

Councils are encouraged to be creative and responsive in how they communicate with these sectors e.g. use of breakfast seminars, face-to-face presentations, in-house talks, newsletters, use of local publications, media briefings, social media, host information events.

A central information contact point within councils was deemed useful.

Business, voluntary and community groups were also keen that councils should work with and use them as communication ambassadors within their local communities.

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Evaluation There is recognition that the communications process should be evaluated. The mechanism for evaluation with various stakeholder groups should be flexible - as the reform process is so fluid, communications and evaluation of its effectiveness must adapt at critical stages. (An evaluation template is provided in Appendix 3 of the communications strategy.)

Overall evaluation

Delegates were asked to complete evaluation forms on the seminar. Results are summarised below:

Strongly

Agree Agree No

Opinion Disagree Strongly

Disagree Objectives for the seminar were clearly explained

11%

84%

5%

Addressed the issues in communicating change

9%

80%

9%

2%

I have learned new ideas/skills

9%

54%

33%

4%

Will help me with my job 9% 70% 17% 4% I would recommend a similar seminar to others

20%

67%

13%

Overall, I was favourably impressed by the seminar

13%

80%

5%

2%

For going forward, other points raised in the evaluation included:

• More workshops for such discussion would be useful • Need to involve stakeholders early • Would welcome further engagement and officer assistance • Business focus groups would be welcomed. Small number of SME owners • Useful for communication officers to share best practice

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Health & Social Care

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-

-

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Appendix 1: Eileen Beamish’s presentation

Lessons Learned from

Communication During Major Change

Eileen Beamish Director

Social Research Centre

17th January 2013

HR Issues and People Challenges

Reflections from Review of Health & Social Care Sector

Report:

Review of Effectiveness of Communication in Relation to Implementation of RPA: Views, Attitudes and Experiences of Health & Social Care Staff. (September 2008)

See: http://www.pscni.gov.uk/index/implementation-of-rpa.htm

“Hands up if you have ever used one of these?”

Six needs

Where am I?

How do I get where I want to go?

How long will it take?

Reassurance

Timely

Patient / Flexible

Questions…

1. Major challenges for health & social care?

2. Is local government likely to face similar challenges?

3. How might local government prepare better?

• Key principles?

• Helpful practices?

Context – The Effect of Major Change

Short term negativity is typical of major

change

‘Distance’ from decision-making affects

perceptions

Enormity of the change:

Nature, Scale, Pace, Complexity &

Duration

Emotional landscape:

Disorientation, Grief, Fear.

Challenge A: ‘Clarifying the Change Terrain’

Local Government…

Who is affected/ not affected

Timing of major change phases

Risk of political change of direction/priorities

Understanding other co-incident initiatives

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Health & Social Care

-

-

-

-

-

Health & Social Care

-

-

-

Health & Social Care

-

-

-

Health & Social Care

-

-

-

Health & Social Care

-

-

-

Challenge B: ‘Build New Organisation/Teams’ Challenge C: ‘Continuity plus ‘More for Less’

Local Government… Local Government…

Devising new structures/posts/locations

Managing transition (+ future change?)

Embedding the new identity

Achieve ambitious service delivery targets

Deliver efficiency savings alongside RPA

Ensure service continuity

Building collegiality

- Loc al and Loc al - Politic al divers ity - Central and loc al - Central and politic al

Identifying best practice/valuing staff

Challenge D: ‘Equality & Equity of Treatment’ Challenge E: ‘Enhancing Skills Pre/Post Change’

Local Government… Local Government…

Job opportunities / Appointment processes New roles, skills competences

Re-location of staff - Loc al and Loc al - Politic al divers ity - Central and loc al - Central and politic al

Corporate ‘memory’

- Loc al and Loc al

Re-location of services / facilities New model of working - Politic al divers ity - Central and loc al - Central and politic al

Challenge F: ‘Protecting Staff Welfare’ The Overall Challenge!

Local Government… Terrain

Reticence about expressing difficulties Welfare New Org/Teams

Fear / job insecurity (current climate)

Providing sufficient levels of apt support

Skills

RRPPAA

LLooccaallGGoovvtt Continuity +

More for Less

Equality/ Equity

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Principles for Consideration… Evaluation…

• Clarity

• Consistency

• Transparency

• Fairness

• Valuing

• Involving

• Reassuring

• Emotional vs ‘Mechanical’ – Style, tone, timing and methods.

• Specific

contributions to the attendant communication challenges (matrix?)

Scope: • Co-develop terms of reference indices of

effectiveness in advance.

Conduct, in real time:

• Collect key communication activity (internally)

• Gather views on effectiveness (externally)

Report: • Regularly, share openly and act promptly on

learnings.

And, finally…

Our Suggested ‘Top 10’…

Thank you!

www.srcentre.co.uk

Communication During Major Change - 10 Practical Points to Consider Reflections from the Research on RPA in The NI Health Sector

http://www.pscni.gov.uk/index/implementation-of-rpa.htm

1. Learn from others/best practice – Templates of communications strategies and plans e.g. health, education etc. 2. What does it mean for me? Ensure information answers key questions people have. (Again, learning from health research) 3. Boost Communication – Time of uncertainty. Importance of communication to be recognised by all. Outputs dependant on resource levels. 4. Don’t assume people will always say what they feel – Reticence and fear are factors.

5. Face to face is critical – People want to ‘see the whites of your eyes’.

6. Have a diverse and inclusive communications (dialogue) approach – More than emails, ensure communications meets audience needs as there could be issues such as literacy / access to technology etc that affect the channel selected. 7. Ensure consistency of communication – Guidelines, tools kits and capacity building.

8. Clear, accurate and timely information is a must – For example, journey maps, HR decisions disseminated quickly. 9. Infrastructure – Ensure IT systems can support the required communications plan.

10. Monitor and evaluate – Co-develop indices of ‘effectiveness’ in advance. Independently check the effectiveness of communications. Report regularly, share findings openly and act promptly on the learning.

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Appendix 2: John Brown’s speaking notes

LOCAL COUNCIL REFORM IN NORTHERN IRELAND: SOME KEY COMMUNICATION LESSONS FROM THE STRATHCLYDE REORGANIZATION IN 1996

Reorganization: the imposition of a new organization; organizing differently

Reform: means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, unsatisfactory, etc. Reform is generally distinguished from revolution. The latter means basic or radical change; whereas reform may be no more than fine tuning. Reform seeks to improve the system as it stands, never to overthrow it wholesale.

I am delighted to be here today to contribute to your discussions for two reasons. The first, after 30 years working in local councils in Scotland and England and having seen the erosion of their powers by central government, it is positive to know that the Executive here is proposing to transfer and return responsibilities to local councils as part of the planned Reform. And second, the clear commitment to put communications as an integral part of the Reform process. The draft communications strategy is a well thought out and comprehensive starting point and no doubt it will be further refined and informed by today’s seminar. My one concern is the draft underplays the communications role of the new councils in the shadow year.

I have been asked specifically to point to lessons learned from the reorganization of Scotland’s councils in 1996, when the two tier system of 12 regional and island authorities and 65 district councils was replaced by 32 unitary councils and a number of joint boards and quangos. The changes impacted on over 300,000 council staff across Scotland, but the greatest upheaval was in the west of Scotland with 2.5 million people. The then largest council in the UK, Strathclyde, with 104,000 staff was abolished, along with the 19 district councils with some 50,000 staff in total to make way for 12 unitary authorities in the west, and joint boards for police, fire, water and passenger transport and two new quangos for water services.

The timescale was exceptionally tight – two and a half years - tighter than I think it will be here. The change to unitaries was first announced in the autumn of 1993, legislation introduced some weeks later and Royal Assent in late 1994. New Council elections in May 1995, a ten month shadow year and the new councils and other bodies became operational on 1st April 1996. The change was implemented not without difficulty – but it happened because the outgoing and new councils eventually focused on making the transfer as smooth as possible in the public interest.

The reorganization was imposed on Scotland by the then UK government. This meant there was considerable political opposition to the legislation, as well as opposition from many councils, interest groups, the voluntary sector and professional associations in Scotland – all had different axes to grind. Councillors and MPs in particular were the most critical, several quoted as saying it was not a reorganization but a “disorganization of local services”. A few councils supported some of the changes – for example the four cities saw a restoration of powers, lost to the regions 20 years before. Strathclyde campaigned vigorously against the

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change, we held a referendum about water services and we had a full time member of staff based at Westminster throughout the legislation’s stages. All this meant there were a lot of mixed messages, much negative comment and critical media coverage about the changes, both locally and nationally.

The reorganization was complex – it involved both the aggregation of staff, services, and properties from two, three, or sometimes four outgoing district councils into the new unitary council and the disaggregation of staff, services and properties from the regional council to the 12 unitaries or new regional bodies. Both were painful processes, but generating different challenges and anxieties. In aggregating, all front-line staff would continue working as they were, for example in refuse collection, parks or leisure services; it is mainly the senior managers and support staff that were directly affected by the change. While in disaggregating, frontline staff who were locally based (in schools and social work offices) transferred across simply, but for many regional services, a lot more staff were directly affected. For example, the PR department in Strathclyde had 34 staff – these were divided up across 12 unitary councils, all moving workplace over half out of Glasgow. Strathclyde had an award-winning Consumer Protection service – unfortunately this was lost, as staff and its combined expertise split 12 ways. But the new councils did agree to share the running of some specialist services, for example Strathclyde’s central purchasing team, was retained on a shared basis by the 12 councils but placed within one council (Renfrewshire).

On timetable and for communications this is important, there were two critical points – tipping points, you could say, at around 20 months before transfer or vesting day and another at around 4 months before vesting day.

The first ‘tipping point’ was in July 1994, when Bill was in its final stages and the shape and form of the reorganization was clear and the dates almost firm. It was at this point the outgoing councils – including Strathclyde – refocused and started actively working on their transfer plans with the other councils and engaging their staff on the changes. Our communications focus was to work with Personnel/HR and concentrate primarily on staff communications …. personnel had hoped cascading information down departments through line managers would be effective, so initially communications memos and bulletins were for senior staff. Quickly we saw this was too slow and not working effectively, partly because managers were uneasy about the change and the possible implications for them, and many managers were not geared up to dealing with the many staff issues raised. This threw up two challenges for us – equipping managers to deal better with the change and their staff during the process and changing our communications approach so that it was now directed to all staff across the council. Personnel set up change management training courses for managers and special reorganisation phone helplines, staffed by experienced officers, solely for staff queries. [Strathclyde had five helpline numbers and centres across the region]. This was backed up by a monthly reorganization newsletter to all staff, a series of three videos (which were broadcast across Scotland on BBC Select) and available for managers to use with their teams. The information videos dealt with the main issues raised by staff calling the helplines. Payslip messaging was effective in promoting both the helplines, the videos, and key messages to groups of staff. That was 17 years ago: today

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we would be looking at mobilizing the internet, mobiles and social media channels for direct communications and engagement with staff.

The second tipping point - in November/December 1995 - was about four months before transfer or vesting day. It was clear from all our soundings with staff at all levels that they were now looking to their new employer – the new council – for information. The shadow councils had in place their senior staff and structure, and plans for transfer were almost complete. Several of the new councils issued a staff newsletter and this was circulated with the help of the outgoing councils to the transferring staff; Glasgow issued three staff newsletters in the four month period to 1st April 1996. Additionally, the new councils in the run up to transfer started work on promoting the new council to residents, the voluntary sector and businesses and the community at large, embarking on a major publicity campaign around 1st April using direct publications to residents and through the media. In the main, this proved to be effective. The view was going public too much before transfer day would cause confusion, although the new councils through their senior councillors and officials did engage in different ways [meetings, correspondence] with local key stakeholders in the shadow year..

Controversies over council tax increases and reorganization costs blighted the changeover in public’s mind and resulted in a lot of adverse media publicity and comment. This was a Scotland reorganization cost a lot more than was initially estimated or allowed for – the government during the legislation talked about cost savings following the reducing the number of councils, but those promised savings, if any, were never calculated after the event

From the reorganization experience in Strathclyde and Glasgow, albeit 17 years ago, and discussions with other communications heads in English councils who have more recently undergone changes or reorganization, there are four key issues or priorities for communications-

The first is Internal communication. This is the main priority, and for much of the transfer process in my view the sole priority. If there is to be as seamless as possible transfer of services, all appointed and transferring staff are critical in ensuring this happens. This requires (i) reassuring both aggregation and disaggregating staff of their importance in the continued delivery of services (ii) engaging with staff on the changes and how they can play a part in improving/developing the delivery of local services (iii) and crucially at an individual level ensuring that each staff member involved knows about the options available to them. Eileen [Beamish] has already identified the emotional challenges facing staff during any reform or reorganisation. There is a lot of worry and uncertainty around at all levels - will I still have a job in the new council? Where will I be working? Who will be my boss? Can I leave the council/department early on redundancy or early retirement and what would be the terms? Many of the questions are personal and have to be addressed individually. Communications to staff have to be clear, relevant and informed. This means close working between communications/PR staff and HR staff and directors. To be effective, much of this communication has to be at a council or departmental level and will involve interpreting the edicts and guidance from the Public Service Commission. The draft Communications Plan sets out responsibilities for internal communications. A lot rests on

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managers cascading information downwards to their teams and on face to face communications; this may work, but managers need training for this to be effective especially when some managers themselves may feel out of their comfort zone, even critical of the changes proposed and uncertain about their own job and future. It is crucial that information about the changes relevant to staff and their options are communicated directly to all staff or cohorts of staff, using all relevant channels including social media, newsletters, emails, texts, payslip messaging, as well as face to face team and staff briefings and individual meetings. The role of the shadow council (and the proposed statutory transitional committees) need in my view to be more explicit and beefed up for staff communications, as transferring staff will in the shadow year and certainly in the few months up to 1st April 2015 will be looking to their new employer, the new councils, for information and reassurance.

The second key issue is clarity on messaging. At Scotland's reorganisation there was no clear messaging on the benefits of reorganization; if there was it was drowned out, mainly because many argued politically and in the media there was benefits for such wholesale change. This was a serious weakness in promoting the reorganisation to both staff and the public in Scotland.

Here in Northern Ireland, responsibility for positive messages explaining the benefits and reasons for the Reform (and defending it against criticism) rests initially with the Executive and the Minister as they take through the necessary legislation.

But the responsibility for translating the legislation into practice locally falls on the eleven new councils, their political leaders and chief officers and their communications team, to shape their council messaging and promote it locally. Councillors and senior officers once elected or appointed to the new councils are important in leading the changeover and communicating that. Those new councils in Scotland that got down to business immediately, made early appointments to the key senior positions, focused on their vision for the new authority and the best structure to deliver that, were the most adept in seeking solutions to the many problems they faced. Today, these councils are still viewed as the best at delivering and communicating. But with chief executives and senior appointments coming from different outgoing councils most councillors twin-tracking (still serving on outgoing council as well as recently elected on the new council), there were conflict issues which led to tensions (region v district, for example) within the new councils, over service plans and priorities, and sometimes appointments. This could be disabling for the new council, and impacted on the council communicating.

Clarity and consistency of messaging at these two distinct stages is critical – both through the legislation process and after the new local councils are elected. The messaging at these two stages should be qualitatively different – the first much wider simply justifying the fewer larger councils and the positive transfers of functions and new powers from Executive to the new councils and the second much more local, the new council highlighting the vision and benefits the changes will bring to the community, its area and its services.

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The third issue is external communications. In my view this is a difficult area especially during the period from now until the legislation is passed and then until the new councils are elected. Do not expect or even rely on the media - especially local newspapers and local radio or TV - to tell the Reform story positively. The media will highlight any controversies or concerns, especially if these are about closing facilities, cutting services or increasing rates. I suspect over the next year there will be a lot of noise (some in the media, some in blogs) about the changes from several sources, councillors, voluntary organisations, business, and the trade unions - expect much of that to be critical as various vested interests highlight their issues of concern. Many of these concerns will be specific and will not be able to be answered or resolved until the new councils are in place. Engaging with key stakeholders, trade unions, voluntary and community organisations, business groups, is important during the process: but it can both ameliorate as well as heighten concerns, sometimes leaving unanswered questions. That stakeholder engagement should quickly become the responsibility of the new shadow councils, who can best decide on the issues raised. Other than key stakeholders and contractors, the general public are ambivalent about local government reform processes - they will only be concerned when it actually happens or if there are fears about loss of services or facilities or increases in rates, which they will blame (rightly or wrongly) on the council changes. Such issues will have to be managed in the communications plan both by the Executive and the new councils. It is important that pro-active communications around the changeover day is not marred by negative media coverage.

Additionally, at the 2014 election to the new councils, the electors need a simple, but clear statement about the (increased) responsibilities of the new council and councillors they are electing.. Any publicity, advertising or booklet about the new council elections, I assume, will be the prime responsibility of the Electoral Commission. Voting in local council elections was the highest in the UK in Northern Ireland last time round [54% in 2011 compared to 31% in England, 40% in Scotland and 39% in Wales in the 2012 local elections]. Despite the efforts of the Electoral Commission and Councils, It is a concern that turnout for council elections is dropping across the UK and efforts to invigorate local democracy, like the election of police and crime commissioners in England and Wales, have met with voter apathy. These falling turnouts and engaging local people must be a matter of concern for all local councils communications,

The fourth priority is setting communications priorities for the new council. Communication should be a key function - and service - of each of the new councils; that requires in my view an early appointment by the new council of a Communications or Public Relations head or manager to support the council’s management team. In that shadow year, there are a number of specific tasks that need to be undertaken. These include

(1) developing an internal and external communication strategy and plan, with stakeholder engagement, in tune with the council's strategy

(2) establishing an initial website as early as possible, and developing a digital and social media strategy for new council

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(3) promoting the corporate name, identity, culture and ethos. This will involve new logo/branding, signage, style etc for the new council for implementation on or around vesting day - delay in doing this can be lead to confusion and higher costs in the long term

(4) publishing a detailed directory of the new council's functions, services and contact details on or just before 1st April 2015 for staff and stakeholders. This or a simpler a-z of council services should be sent to each household and every business in the area for 1st April, as well as being available and constantly updated on the Internet.

Good and timely communications and dialogue with staff, stakeholders, the business community and the third sector, and the wider public is key to a smooth transfer of staff, services and responsibilities to the new councils. There will be big challenges, many hurdles and almost certainly a lot of negativity and questioning along the way; good pro- active communications with clear messages helps all involved face up openly to the issues and problems both perceived and real, and make these difficulties more understandable and hopefully more manageable.

Ends As delivered 17 January 2013

John Brown MA (Hons) FCIPR was Head of Public Relations for Strathclyde Regional Council during local government reorganization (1993 – 1996) and subsequently appointed to the post of Head of Public Relations for Scotland’s largest unitary council, Glasgow City Council (1995 – 2004). John is an independent consultant on public relations and strategic communications. Email j.brown453@ntlworld.