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A decision made (30.04.07) to approve the HD14 policy document on the Communications Policy.

Subject:	Housing Department HD14 Communications Policy
Decision Reference:	MD-H-2007-0026		Exempt clause(s):	n/a
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Oral		Person Giving Report (if oral):	Dominique Caunce
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?	n/a		Report File ref:	n/a
Written report – Title	n/a
Written report – Author (name and job title)	Dominique Caunce Director of Tenant Services
Decision(s): The Minister has approved the Departments Communications Policy.
Reason(s) for decision: To improve internal and external communications
Action required: Minister has approved the Communications Policy which will now be implemented within the Department.
Signature: (Minister)		Date of Decision:

Approval of HD14 policy document - Communications Policy

POLICY HD14

STATES OF JERSEY HOUSING DEPARTMENT

COMMUNICATIONS POLICY

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1. Introduction

The Housing Department must ensure that it responds to the concerns of its tenants and the wider public. It is the Senior Management Team’s task to draw together diverse communication networks into a single communication framework. This will require the SMT to:-

 Design appropriate approaches;

 Review current communication activity;

 Develop a partnership communication strategy for internal and external communications;

Imagine for a moment that you are a States tenant. Think about the information you receive from the Department in the form of, for example, letters (standard and non-standard), flyers, Newsletters, Community News, Posters, the Tenants Handbook and our sign up packs. Do all these communications give out the same basic message? Do they give a consistent story and approach to our communities? Would you know that all these communications come from the same Department and often the same Officers that you deal with regularly?

As a member of staff, think about the various forms of communications within the Department and ask yourself the similar questions.

However effective we may be at running a good Department and offering our tenant’s an excellent service, if our communications are ineffective then we are failing in two of our core responsibilities, “Customer Focus” and “Working Together”.

Housing is an emotive issue; any appearance of disunity is likely to cause our tenants to doubt and distrust us and what we are trying to achieve. In the same way, if internal communications are not handled correctly, staff become equally distrusting of what is generally good news. For this reason, it is essential that in both areas we speak with one voice, even if particular decisions have caused debate within teams or amongst individual Officers. The best way to achieve this is with a communications strategy which all Housing staff can approve, sign up to and aide by.

This document sets out a framework upon which SMT can base this strategy.

2. The Importance of Communication

We live in a society that values information more highly than experience. Most people are not willing to trust their own experience and do not believe that something has been achieved until told so. Furthermore, they need to be told by someone that they trust, whether that is a newsreader or next door neighbour. It is not enough to provide a good service to our tenants; they have to be convinced that they are being given a good service – this is why an effective communications strategy is essential.

3. Raising the Departments Profile

Most of our tenants are not aware of all the services we provide with the limited resources that we have. What they do know is fragmentary and based on personal experience, local news stories and individual experiences of people they trust. Sadly, they generally only digest and remember the bad stories.

Good communications help prevent unfair criticism. Resources do not permit the Department to meet all the expectations placed on it by tenants and indeed the general public.

Our tenants and the public need to be given the full picture and come to appreciate that the Department aims to provide a long-term, high quality service to them but they must also understand the difficulties we face and their own responsibilities in the process.

Improved communications can both help to increase public knowledge of what the problems are and also manage expectations of what can realistically be done.

4. Community Support and Involvement

It is impossible for tenants, and indeed the wider public, to support the work of the Housing Department when they have such limited knowledge and understanding of what we do. Raising the Departments profile is not just a good thing, as mention above, but is an essential step in the process of gaining community support and involving them in the decision making process and indeed new policies.

The work being undertaken by the Tenant Participation Team is going a long way to help this, but as mentioned previously in this document it is important that the information is coming from one voice, across the Department.

Communication positive messages will get our tenants behind what we are trying to achieve. Good communications are also essential for good working relationships; an effective communications strategy will build staff confidence and help build and sustain the momentum needed to achieve our goals.

5. The Framework

The Department needs a framework that enables its communications strategy to be as effective as possible. The following roles have been created already:-

 The SMT is responsible for the strategy development and has overall accountability if targets are not met or if the strategy is not adhered to;

 Dominique Caunce is the communications co-ordinator, responsible for the day to day implementation of the internal communications strategy;

 Communication Groups have been set up within the Department to encourage better communications and provide a vehicle for the strategy;

 Key contacts amongst States tenants have been created with the formation of Residents Groups, Area Panels, Wardens and ultimately the Tenants Forum;

 Senator Terry Le Main will be the political link between the Department and the media.

6. What needs to be done?

 Improving the Departments identity - a new name.

This can only be taken forward once the “Property Plan” has been delivered.

 Decide key messages – these will form the basis of the communications strategy. Every external communication will be consistent with these key messages.

 Be clear about who the audiences are, whether and how we will vary our messages depending on the audience and what the appropriate ways are of reaching each audience. Residents meetings should be an integral part of this process but we need to consider the venue/time for such meetings. The better we understand our audiences, the better we will be able to communicate with them.

 Identify the most appropriate communications channel to transmit each key message, to each key audience. There are some obvious channels by which our communications can reach an audience:-

Ø Local media; both print and broadcast;

Ø Direct marketing materials (posters, leaflets, flyers, newsletters);

Ø Our Website;

Ø Presentations to our tenants, residents meetings, community events;

Ø Community News

Ø Word of mouth, a powerful marketing tool, people are more receptive to messages that come from people they trust.

Each of our key audiences will respond differently to different channels. A good understanding of both our audience and our channels will enable to make a good match between the two.

 Ensure our partners and key stakeholders know what we are trying to communicate and that they also send out the same messages. Our key stakeholders include:-

Ø Our contractors

Ø Our residents groups and tenant representatives

Ø Local media

Ø Other agencies

Ø Our colleagues

Internal Communications

Corporate Management Board - It is important that regular feedback from CMB is, where appropriate, fed back to Housing staff. This will be done via SMT meetings.

Senior Management Team - SMT meeting minutes will be circulated to Housing staff.

Customer Service Centre – It must be remembered that information being circulated to Housing staff may often have an impact/relevance to staff working at the Customer Service Centre and they will be included in any communications as appropriate.

Chief Officer Circulars – these will be emailed to all Housing staff by the Communications Co-ordinator on day of receipt.

Management Communication – depending on the subject, these can be emailed to all staff or the communication Groups/Individual teams will be called together to discuss.

Housing Intranet – staff are reminded of this useful tool and are encouraged to open it each morning and use it. There are no strict rules to follow and this can be used for arranging social activities as well as communicating work related information.

Department Information Log – this needs to be updated regularly and Line Managers/Team Leaders are responsible for ensuring this is done. This is another useful tool that all staff should use and will keep them informed of developments across the business. It should also be linked to the Intranet site.

Staff meetings/Team meetings – these must occur regularly between teams and Line Managers/Team Leaders are responsible for implementing this. There should be a generic agenda for all such meetings to ensure everyone is getting the same information and opportunity to provide feedback.

Communication Calendar – this could be used equally well for internal communications as external. A calendar to be completed at the beginning of the year and added to as the year progresses, which marks down all potential communications whether internal or external. A copy of which should regularly be sent through to the Communications Unit.

Communication Groups – Group Leaders will be identified and given a specific project in which to call together their group and deliver some targets.

Communication Groups

GROUP 1

GROUP 2

GROUP 3

Jason English	Rad Montgomery	Sue Le Mercier
Dave Harrison	Sallyanne Lennane	Alan Elvy
Louise Baudains	Guy Greenwood	Julie Madden
Stuart Hutton	David Reid	Pam Kelly
Dave Griffiths	Richard Le Boutillier	Terry McGrinder
Brian Coutanche	Mark Lewis	Cheryl Hanlin
Liza Duke	Martin Rouault	Sheelagh Peacock
Pat McDonald	Vicky A’Court	Fiona Halliwell
Martin Daly	Charmaine Barratt	Cliodhna Harrington
	Mark Wilden	Jim Roberts
	Clare Richmond

External Communications

Chief Ministers Department Communications Unit – all communications with the public must go through the Communications Unit first. This must be done well in advance of the communication in order to allow time for amendments/comments/advice to be given b the Communications Unit.

Press Release – these should be more widely used to promote the good stories as well as inform on the more difficult issues. No Press Release can be distributed unless sanctioned by the Chief Officer (or member of the SMT)

Press Conference – these could be arranged occasionally to deliver more complicated pieces of news, face to face with journalists with an opportunity for questions and full explanations. Deputy Jackie Hilton should be the main link for these.

Community News – to be increased to four editions per annum and to include more information on Capital projects and Maintenance, levels of Arrears and general budget position, as well as more articles written by tenants.

Residents Meetings – taking on board comments made previously in this document, these should be a regularly used form of communicating with our tenants. All teams should be encouraged to arrange such meetings at appropriate times and venues in order to catch the greatest possible audiences. There must be an increase in such meetings to disseminate information regarding maintenance and capital projects. These meetings should all carry the same key messages.

Newsletters/Flyers – these need to be more generic, there are too many different styles being sent out at present. These written communications should always carry the same key messages, even if there is a further specific message to get across. These should be published to staff before being delivered.

gov.je – this must be kept up to date and could be used more frequently to advertise/market opportunities within the Department – whether that be allocations or property sales. It should also be used to encourage feedback from our customers.

Communication Calendar – this could be used equally well for external communications as internal. A calendar to be completed at the beginning of the year and added to as the year progresses, which marks down all potential communications whether internal or external. A copy of which should regularly be sent through to the Communications Unit, Chief Ministers Department.

7. Action Plan

Action	Reason	Responsible	By when
Become a trading organisation	Assist in improving our Identity	SMT	End 2008
Decide key messages to communicate Externally Internally	To improve communication and knowledge	Communication Group	September 2007
Distinguish between different audiences and in particular establish a Media Policy	To improve communications with the media	Policy / Project Officers	October 2007
Create a clear and generic Housing Department format for all leaflet type information.	To improve communication with our customers	Policy / Project Officers	End 2007

8. Effective Date

The policy shall become active on the date on which the respective Ministerial Decision was signed by the Minister.

Policy Drafted	October 2006	D Caunce Director of Tenant Services

Policy Reviews	Date	Reviewed By