Reflections on the city’s night of rioting
Jill Laverick, Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at Sunderland City Council shares her reflections on the city’s night of rioting this summer, what led to that point and how the council and partners are working with communities following the events.
This webinar will not be recorded and attendees are requested to maintain confidentiality about sensitive aspects of the content.
Using public health data to drive campaign success: We Are Undefeatable in Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen Council Public Health team and Together an Active Future, (a Sport England place-partner) and We Are Undefeatable, for a webinar showcasing the power of localised health initiatives in action,
Learn how this partnership tailored the national We Are Undefeatable campaign to reduce health inequalities in the borough.
Using data-driven insights and collaborating with a diverse array of partners, the campaign has gone above and beyond initial expectations and made significant impacts in targeted communities.
This webinar will give you direct access to the key drivers of the campaign. They will share valuable lessons learned, discuss their innovative strategies, and reveal how you can replicate their success in creating positive change.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired, connect with like-minded professionals, and learn how you too can utilise public health data to improve the success of a behaviour change campaign.
Speakers
“Peter Dutton is the Activation Manager for We Are Undefeatable, a behaviour-change campaign which aims to support people living with long term health conditions to be active in a way that works for them and their condition(s). The campaign is developed by 15 leading health and social care charities and is backed by Sport England. Peter works with the We Are Undefeatable’s charity partners and national and local stakeholders to bring the campaign to life in meaningful ways for organisations and professionals across a range of sectors including local government, to support people with health conditions to move more.”
Contact – peter.dutton@ageuk.org.uk
Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-dutton-612882a0/
Alison Whittaker-Stewart is the Physical Activity Campaigns Lead for Together an Active Future, one of Sport England’s Place based partners. Alison has been working alongside Peter, Charlotte and others to co-ordinate and deliver a localised version of the national We Are Undefeatable campaign in Blackburn with Darwen.
Contact – Alison.whittaker-Stewart@blackburn.gov.uk
Linked In – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-whittaker-stewart-mcim-b92b3223/
Charlotte Pickles is a Public Health Specialist at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. She leads on a number of agendas including physical activity and healthy weight. Blackburn with Darwen is a diverse borough with a range of health challenges including a higher than average number of people living with long term health conditions. The localised version of the We Are Undefeatable campaign is helping to meet the ‘Targeted Interventions to Tackle Health Inequalities’ theme of their Eat Well Move More strategy which aims to enable everyone in Blackburn and Darwen to lead active, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Contact – Charlotte.pickles@blackburn.gov.uk
Linked In – https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-pickles-3b8b19129/
Embedding digital accessibility and inclusion practice
Webinar date – 27 November 24, time 12.30-1.30pm
With:
Leanne Hughes – CAN Digital Lead
Agenda:
High level overview of research findings – Accessibility in Local Authority communications
Leadership sponsorship and Operational responsibility
Individual as a catalyst for change
What is accessibility?
Interactive element in chat – what do people think accessibility and inclusivity are and why they are important?
Sheffield’s successful approach to buy-in and implementation
Context setting – legislative requirements, protected characteristics/impairments/disability stats (Census and charity data)
Values/ethics
How we approached the basics; phased approach to introducing and embedding Pascal/Camel case, alt text, etc – tips and tricks to engage the team
Q&A throughout and at the end
Format of the session
The aim was to make the slides and session as accessible and inclusive as possible, with consideration that no one format is inclusive and accessible for all, as individual’s needs are all different.
Open to questions throughout as practicable. Time for dedicated questions and answers at the end.
Louise and Leanne are award-winning, CIPR chartered professionals with almost 50 years combined experience of communications, PR, marketing and sales in public and private sector. Both are champions of improving accessibility in communications and have led the way in doing so at local and national levels.
LGcomms East of England regional network meeting
Date: 22nd November 2024
Venue: Hertfordshire Development Centre
Time: 10pm – 1pm
Agenda:
10am – Welcome and Introductions (AA)
10.10am – Flooding in the East – Case studies, tool kits and digital comms opportunities – Bethan Griffiths, Communications Manager at Cambridgeshire County Council & Michael Hann, Strategic Communications Manager, Huntingdonshire District Council, Thom Burn from Central Bedfordshire Council and CAN (confirmed speakers)
11.10am – 11.25am break
11.25am – Combined Authorities – The view on Comms and Public Affairs from the inside – Ed Colman, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
12.05 – Dis and Misinformation – where now for digital and social? Dan Slee (joining virtually)
12.45 – Your shout – What’s keeping you awake at night? Discussion and future agenda items (All)
1pm close and lunch/networking
How Hate Spreads – how false narratives brought violence to our streets
Shayoni Lynn of Lynn Group presented an LGcomms Lunch and Learn Webinar
Almost every public sector communications professional will have been immersed in countering disinformation and halting the spread of hatred online during the recent riots taking place in communities across the UK. Many will still be in the midst of this and its aftermath.
Lynn Group has undertaken a fascinating analysis covering the first two weeks of online activity, tracing origin, conspiracy theories, disinformation influencers, geopolitical impacts, and learnings for the communications industry. In this webinar, free and exclusive to LGcomms members, Shayoni Lynn shared her findings, insights, recommendations and takeaways.
LGcomms East Midlands regional network meeting
Top contributions from organisations including the Local Government Association, Orlo, the East Midlands Combined Authority, Baker Baird and East Midlands Councils.
Themes discussed, included devolution, recruitment, the new Government, and the future of local media.
LGcomms, along with the Local Government Association (LGA), has been supporting the creation and development of regional networks. The aim is to focus on communications challenges unique to our regions while also offering a friendly and supportive forum for sharing issues, best practice, campaign ideas and partner briefings.
LGcomms East of England regional network meeting
LGcomms, along with the Local Government Association, has been supporting the creation and development of networks across England and Scotland and this is the latest to be established.
The Networks provide an important forum for sharing issues, best practice, campaigns and briefings from key partners. They are also an important opportunity to focus on communications challenges which are unique to regions.
The first EoE network featured contributions from Transport East on their current agenda, and also the LGA, who highlighted their ‘Make A Difference’ recruitment Campaign.
Saving money and generating income – how to make your Comms team indispensable
LGcomms partnered with key public sector partners CAN and e-shot to introduce how you can positively impact your organisation’s bottom line. This free webinar for LGcomms members summarised how to use relatively simple income generation techniques to increase comms budgets, use your organisation’s assets to your advantage, demonstrate comms impact in saving money, and understand which channels are the most efficient.
Lunch and Learn: Emergency comms lessons from the Plymouth Bomb
The discovery of an unexploded half-tonne World War II bomb in led to the biggest evacuation since World War II with more than 10,000 residents affected.
The Plymouth City Council communication team had to work at a relentless pace given that they had just 24 hours’ notice of the evacuation.
Flooding and weather emergencies Masterclass
With winter storms and other extreme weather events throughout the year becoming more frequent as a result of climate change, councils and public services are increasingly dealing with the impacts on individual, communities, properties and infrastructure.
LGcomms assembled the experience and the expertise of dealing well with recent flooding and extreme weather, alongside the practical help and advice you will need to help you deal with such an emergency.
Communicating Elections – training event
With some significant changes in the electoral rules, electoral landscape and a General Election due, there is no better time to make sure you have the right plans, the right skills and the right information is in place.
This was a joint learning event between LGcomms and the Association of Electoral Administrators.
Electorial Commission AEA LGcomms
GLA LVRW & Voter ID presentation
Webinar: Elevating Public Sector PR: Harnessing AI Beyond ChatGPT
Hosted by Andrew Bruce Smith, the Director at Escherman and Chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations AI In PR panel. With a distinguished career in PR, Andrew is at the forefront of dialogues surrounding the integration of AI, its boundless opportunities, and the ethical considerations entailed in its application within the communications sphere.
This webinar ventured beyond the basics, diving into a curated selection of AI tools that promise to significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your PR operations. Through a succinct tour, Andrew elucidated how these AI tools can be seamlessly integrated into your daily workflows, thereby propelling your PR strategies to new heights.
Getting to grips with Combined Authorities – 4th October 2023
Combined Authorities are becoming a key part of the local government landscape right across England. With more CA’s set to be established – and Mayors to be elected – an increasing number of local government communicators will be faced with new ways of working and new relationships to navigate. This webinar offered an unparalleled expert view and a unique opportunity for LGcomms colleagues the chance to hear from senior leaders that have helped to establish and run Mayoral Combined Authorities in city-regions across the North of England.
Tackling Cost of Living comms – Central London, 27th September 2023, presented in partnership with JCDecaux
Our latest seminar, presented with our commercial partners JCDecaux delved into cost-of-living comms with a wealth of market intelligence on consumer/resident habits and preferences on spending, a great case study on innovative, community-based and led activity in Essex to help people with spiralling food prices, and a focus on the importance of inclusive approaches to marketing.
Read the top takeaways from LGcomms Chair Andy Allsopp here.
25th July 2023 Distributing secrets – what you need to know to run the perfect door drop campaign
Paper-based communications still play an important role in the delivery of impactful campaigns.
Letterbox Distribution, shared their experiences and insights – and the right questions you need to ask your distributors – to help your organisation run the perfect door-to-door campaign, highlighted through a key case study from Hammersmith and Fulham Council.
To view the webinar click here
13 July 2023 Health and care – working together. A conversation about system working and how communications can oil the wheels
A conversation about working with, arguably, local government’s biggest partner; the NHS.
With integration between health and care more vital than ever how do we navigate partnership working across organisational boundaries, different cultures, competing priorities and changing landscapes not to mention the acronyms?
To view a pdf takeaway from the event please click here
22 June 2023: Webinar: Communicating change of control
In this free webinar for LGcomms members, held in partnership with the Local Government Association, senior communicators will reflect on their own experiences of working in authorities which have changed control and offer advice on building effective working relationships with new administrations.
16 May 2023: Workshop: Effective communications during the cost of living crisis
A timely interactive half-day workshop to provide insights and practical advice on communicating effectively during the current cost of living crisis.
Download the presentation:
‘Here for You’ by Lucy Downham
22 March 2023: Lunch and learn webinar on crisis communications
Adam Keating, Strategic Communications Manager at Southend-on-Sea City Council talked about dealing with the tragic murder of the area’s longstanding and well-respected MP and working to ensure a fast, sensitive, and dignified response.
31 January 2023: Exceeding fostering campaign targets with targeted TV advertising
In this webinar Hampshire County Council explained how they used targeted TV advertising to help them exceed their fostering campaign targets. Using a mix of AdSmart from Sky alongside radio, digital and other channels, their campaign successfully showcased what a wonderful role being a foster carer can be while also highlighting the urgent need for foster carers in their community.
30 Nov 2022: LGcomms Academy 2022: Crisis – the new normal for public service communications?
Public sector communicators have been at the forefront of the recent crises – Covid-19, Brexit, Ukraine war, cost of living, climate change and more. The pace has increased and expectations risen in equal proportions. The 2022 Comms Academy explored if crisis comms has become business as usual and what this means.
You can still download the speaker presentations from the Academy.
16 June 2022: Campaign Planning and Evaluation Masterclass
A session on campaign planning, featuring practical theory, the importance of creativity, and a spotlight on evaluation, from some of the industry’s leading experts.
Hear from public sector colleagues about four very different but equally effective campaigns, showing how theory, planning, creativity and evaluation come together to give you the results you’re looking for.
Download event presentations below:
17 May 2022: Building trust and engagement post-pandemic – a note through your door
This LGcomms partner event was hosted by Marketreach by Royal Mail, and presented the findings of a new report about trust in local government.
You can listen back to this event using the access passcode: z6=*B!HX.
Download the building trust and engagement event presentation.
23-24 November 2021: Public Service Communications Academy
The 2021 Public Service Communications Academy (or Academy) took place on 23-24 November under the theme Partnerships, Performance and People. Just like previous years, the event also hosted the Public Service Communications Awards ceremony.
17 November 2021: Climate change communications: what’s next for local authorities? (joint LGcomms/LGA webinar)
Decarbonisation must happen in every community and household. and local authorities are already invested in the changes that need to be made. In many areas, they are leading the way having declared ‘climate emergencies’ years ago.
This joint LGcomms/LGA webinar, funded by UK government, explored different approaches that local authorities are using to address climate change challenges.
You can download the presentations from this climate change event on the LGA’s website.
19 October 2021: Living with COVID-19 and preparing for the challenges of winter (joint LGcomms/LGA webinar)
As the vaccination programme is rolled out to cover 12 to 15-year-olds and booster jabs, this webinar featured presentations from central government and local authorities on their plans to protect communities over the winter months.
You can download the presentations from this event on the LGA’s website.
18 October 2021: Wellbeing in comms
Wellbeing has never been further up the agenda for comms professionals as it is now. This webinar featured a panel discussion with open and frank perspectives on the impact of work on our mental health and wellbeing. Participants were also able to join a mini-wellbeing session with Fresh Air Fridays, find out more about their Breathing Space sessions on their website.
21 September 2021: COVID-19 communications: Planning for post-pandemic recovery (joint LGcomms/LGA webinar)
At this webinar, council communicators shared good practice and campaigns related to post-pandemic recovery.
You can download the presentations from this event on the LGA’s website.
27 July 2021: Direct mail in the pandemic and in the future
The pandemic changed the way local authorities needed to engage with their citizens, making direct mail an important tool in order to speak to every household with credibility and authority. This webinar featured speakers from Royal Mail, Surrey County Council and Essex County Council which shared valuable data and insight into using mail or door drop during the pandemic.
You can view the recording and transcript of this webinar within the resources section of the website.
20 July 2021: Building a compelling narrative for your council and why it matters (joint LGcomms/LGA webinar)
At this webinar we heard from councils and strategic communicators who have successfully developed narratives – how they did it and why it’s important. You can download the presentations from this event on the LGA’s website.
29 June 2021: Comms in a world of constant Covid
2021 has seen a continuation of the huge demands of Covid-19 plus the return of most of the ‘business as usual’ activities. For many councils, add in the elections of May 2021 and the ambitions of a new administration and the challenges can be huge. This webinar looked at how to manage the workload, support our teams’ wellbeing and build on the new influence that communications has at the top table. Colleagues from Staffordshire County Council, Telford and Wrekin Council and Derbyshire County Council shared their experiences and tips for thriving in the new world.
17 June 2021: Communicating easing of restrictions
As we continue through the national roadmap out of lockdown, council communications and engagement will be key to ensuring that residents stay alert to the ongoing risks of the virus and that any ongoing or additional restrictions are adhered to. In this Government funded webinar, we heard from councils who have been planning for the future and working on new ways to successfully communicate with residents.
8 June 2021: Working with new members
At this webinar we heard from some of the most experienced communicators in local government on how to work effectively with a new political administration post-election, and to explore the issues, challenges and opportunities that a change in leadership can bring.
20 May 2021: Engaging with young people (joint LGcomms/LGA webinar)
In this Government funded webinar we explored how council communications teams can work to increase vaccine uptake amongst our younger residents. We heard from Luton Borough Council about the work they are doing with young people, as well as the Department of Health and Social Care.
29 April 2021: Reviving the local economy – supporting the recovery in your high streets
Powering economic growth post-pandemic is a ket challenge for every council. From Freeports to freehouses, at this webinar we learned how councils are leading the way in helping local economies to thrive.
28 April 2021: Surge testing and local outbreaks (joint LGcomms/LGA webinar)
This webinar looked at the lessons learned from previous local outbreaks of COVID-19 and experience of rapidly deploying surge testing. Surrey County Council and Manchester City Council will share their approaches and learnings, alongside colleagues in central government.
11 March 2021: Vaccine communications, tackling hesitancy and misinformation (joint LGcomms/LGA webinar)
This webinar featured speakers from local and central government, and looked at how councils and public sector partners can increase uptake of the vaccine by working to understand and tackle vaccine hesitancy and counter misinformation. The presentations are available on the LGA website.