The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the hugely important role that effective communications play in public service. All strands of COVID response from the emergency phase through to recovery is reliant on the strength of the connection between public services and community and the ability to engage, influence and empower.

Yet, what has the pandemic taught us about the strength of that connection, and what do we need to differently in the future?

Our upcoming roundtable discussion for public service leaders will look at the future priorities for local government communications and how to maximise effectiveness.

In particular, we will look at how to:

• Build trust and confidence amongst difference audience groups
• Deliver more with less by optimising communication delivery
• Ensure that communication plays a pivotal COVID recovery
• Demonstrate greater community leadership
• Develop digital reach and maturity, including understanding who uses different types of social media and why 
• Place behavioural insight at the heart of successful campaigns and change programmes

Westco will bring to the discussion lessons learnt from more than 35 communication reviews that we have conducted for public sector communication functions spanning central government, local government, transport authorities and housing providers. 

Speakers

Barry Lewis will chair the interactive roundtable, the Leader of Derbyshire County Council, with contributions from experts in their field, including;

• Ian Farrow, Managing Director of Westco and strategic communication expert
• Edward Gardiner, Director of behavioural insight specialists, The Cognition Company
• John Paul-Danon, Partner of the Council Advertising Network
• Simon Jones, Executive Director of Communications at Westco and former chair of the UK’s professional development network, LGcomms

Interested in attending the roundtable?

Contact Simon Jones to find out more and discuss what good looks like in a modern local government communication practice.

About Westco

For more than 15 years, ’ Westco has been passionate about improving communications which we believe should be at the heart of effective public service. 

Westco delivers full-service strategy, public affairs and communications consultancy for clients including policy, scrutiny, media management, campaigns, design, marketing and digital. 

Our reviews have helped public sector organisations improve communication effectiveness while saving money by rationalising communications output, unifying departmental teams, and aligning the delivery of strategy and communications to the organisations’ goals and business imperatives. 

We currently provide communication services to more than 5 million residents living in Romford, Tower Hamlets, Hounslow, Wandsworth, Richmond, Westminster, Scarborough, Greater Manchester and Plymouth.