3. The role of proactive communications
Specific statutory requirement Support operation of
to provide public information government and services
about government work e.g. take up of a service, recruiting
e.g. public consultations staff, supporting service users
Influence attitudes and Generate understanding of
behaviours that benefit the Government’s programme
individuals or wider society e.g. informing the public about
e.g. public health, safety, security specific activities and priorities
4. Communication is particularly effective in
delivering government objectives alongside
other levers
Policy levers Communication Context/
environment
e.g. legislation e.g. information
regulation engagement e.g. external factors,
taxation persuasion service delivery
5. The context for communications continues to
change and present new challenges
£
Changes in the Audiences are Government spending is
media landscape shifting their habits decreasing to tackle the
are accelerating and expectations deficit. Communications
must adapt too
6. Controls are in place and big efficiency gains
have already been delivered
531
213 3438
2120
77
137
110 48
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2009-10 2011-12
COI Turnover Advertising spend Central department
(m) (m) headcounts
7. We have put in place a new structure for
proactive communications
Communication Delivery Board
Government Communication Centre
Shared
Campaigns Policy & Govt Digital Partnership Behavioural
Comms
& Strategy Capability Service Unit insight
Service
Proactive Communication Hubs
Government Virtual teams across govt depts and arms-length bodies
Procurement
Service
8. We need to work together with the
communications industry to meet the challenge
• Our drive for greater effectiveness and efficiency must go
further
• We need to collaborate on key areas, including:
Making the most of our owned & Developing more partnerships with
earned channels and integrating commercial and voluntary sectors,
them with paid-for communications looking for alignment
Driving greater innovation, Getting more value for money
particularly through new digital through rock-solid evaluation of
opportunities what works best
9. Implementing a more strategic approach
• We are developing a proactive communication plan that will
summarise the activities of each hub for the coming year
– More detailed planning and coordination of activity
– Clearer focus on target audiences and opportunities to
integrate communications
– Better organisation of resources to maximise
effectiveness and efficiency
– More collective visibility of
communications programmes
– Less isolation and silo working
Editor's Notes
Twitter encountered 16,000 tweets per second in January 2012, almost doubling that of the start of 2011
Communications operations in Government have recently been through a significant period of change and reform, designed to deliver substantial efficiency savings and a large reduction in overall expenditure Since 09/10, central government departments have cut communications budgets by over half (CO figures May 2011) External spend through COI, which leapt to £532m in 2009/10, reduced by 68% to £168m in 2010/11. Of that, paid for advertising space and digital marketing is down 85%, from £237m turnover in 09/10 to £35.7m in 10/11. And overall headcount has been reduced by around 40%
Better governance and central oversight to agree priorities Comprehensive overview of proposed activity and detailed plans for each hub More collaboration, more integrated communications products and sharing of resource to improve efficiency Reducing duplication or over-servicing, allowing for redeployment of resource to priorities Improving capability through a dedicated review programme and focus on professional development Stronger emphasis on evaluation to prove the impact of government communication SCS : Providing strategic management of suppliers. Co-ordinating spend under the leadership of the Government Procurement Service Strategy : Designed to help Departments and ALBs deliver the annual communication plan for government CDB : Made up of Ministers and officials from across government. Providing governance and accountability
