Why Communications Matter – A Mayor’s Most Underrated Power

 

I attended an event, Effective urban leadership: What are the international lessons for England’s mayors? hosted by the Institute for Government (IfG). Professor Jorrit de Jong  Bloomberg Centre for Cities at Harvard University, and Akash Paun, Programme Director for Devolution for IfG, discussed skills and leadership requirements for new Mayors or new administration.

It struck me that, as well as personal leadership and managerial excellence a lot of issues that need addressing require excellent public and stakeholder communications.

Stepping into a mayoral role—especially in England’s emerging devolved landscape—is exciting, demanding, and in part, overwhelming. Whether you’ve just been elected or are part of a new administration supporting one of the UK’s growing number of combined authority or metro mayors, you’ll already know that the role comes with high public expectations and, paradoxically, limited formal powers.

That’s where communication becomes one of your most powerful tools.

From the discussion between Professor Jorrit de Jong and Akash Paun, we could summarise how communications can be a strategic lever for success in areas like transport, housing, skills, economic growth, and more—and why it must be at the centre of any effective mayoral leadership model.

1. Build Trust Early—Tell People Why You’re Here

As Professor Jorrit de Jong from the Bloomberg Centre for Cities at Harvard reminded us, public trust starts with personal connection. People don’t engage with policy—they engage with purpose.

In the early days of the mayoralty, communications should do more than promote plans or announcements. It should convey your motivation, your values, and your vision. Why did you step into this role? What do you want to change? What do you believe your region can become?

Tip: Work with a comms team who can help shape a compelling “Story of Self, Us, and Now”—a Harvard-tested framework that humanises leadership and galvanises communities.

 

2. You’re Not Just a Leader. You're a Convener.

The discussion moved to leadership role of Mayors. In England’s combined authority model, mayors aren’t lone executives. They lead through collaboration—often across councils, political divides, sectors, and stakeholder groups.

That means communication isn’t just outward-facing. Internal communication and stakeholder relationships built on openness, transparency and joint endeavour are just as critical. You’ll need to inspire partnership, align strategies, and de-escalate conflict long before a policy hits the headlines.

Westco Insight: The most effective mayors use their communications to unite—not just to broadcast. That means investing in stakeholder mapping, internal narrative alignment, and convening platforms that bring people together meaningfully.

 

3. Local Powers, National Profile

 

Mayors in England today carry a high-profile public role, even if their legal powers are limited. That gap between perception and power is a communications challenge—but also an opportunity.

Strategic communications can help you:

• Demonstrate value to your constituents,
• Influence central government through public mandate,
• Secure investment by showcasing impact and ambition,
• Elevate your region’s identity.
  
  

Mayors may not hold the purse strings of Whitehall, but they do have the power to shape the national conversation, advocate for their area, and build public will around long-term change.

 

4. Communications as a Policy Delivery Tool

 

Good communication isn’t just about explaining what you’re doing. It’s a policy instrument in itself.

Whether you’re launching a bus reform, tackling inequalities in housing access, or driving skills programmes, you need behavioural insights, public engagement, and smart campaign delivery to change outcomes.

Take the example of South Yorkshire’s “Beds for Babies” programme mentioned in the IfG event as a case study: a clear, focused communications narrative helped build public support and coordinated action for a simple but transformative health intervention.

We have also recently supported a Combined Authority to consult on bus franchising. It was incredibly important to ensure our inclusive and thorough approach was unimpeachable but also very visible.

From climate resilience to planning reform, the right message—targeted, tested, and timed—can unlock action where regulation alone cannot.

 

5. Start-Up Authority? Build Grand, Fast.

 

Many new mayoralties are still in start-up mode, entering empty offices, assembling teams, and establishing legitimacy. That’s where a professional communications strategy can fast-track credibility.

This means:

• Establishing a strong visual and verbal brand for the mayor’s office,
• Communicating early wins with transparency,
• Showing responsiveness to public concerns,
• Using data storytelling to illustrate impact.
  
  

The Westco team has helped new administrations do this quickly and effectively, because you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

 

6. From Comms-as-Service to Comms-as-Strategy.

Finally, communications is too often siloed as a support function. But mayors leading 21st-century change need communications embedded at the heart of strategic decision-making.

That includes:

• Involving comms leaders in cabinet-level discussions,
• Aligning campaign planning with policy delivery cycles,
• Using real-time public insight to inform decisions,
• Measuring impact through narrative and perception audits.
  
  

We’ve seen firsthand that when communications is integrated with leadership and delivery, leaders go further, faster—and communities benefit sooner.

 

Final Thought: The Mayor as Chief Communicator

 

Effective mayoral leadership is about much more than media interviews and social media soundbites. It’s about using your voice—and your organisation’s voice—to convene, to motivate, to explain, and to build trust.

In the coming years, as more mayoralties are rolled out across England, those who master the art and science of communication will lead the most effective and transformative administrations.

At Westco, we stand ready to help. Whether you're new to the office or planning your next four years, let's talk about how your communications strategy can be the driving force behind real, lasting change.

Please contact ian@westcocommunications.com for more information