As the first deal to go through in November 2014, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has spent time laying the foundations for devolution and building the groundwork for its communications activity to ensure the authority gets the basics right. This case study forms part of our devolution toolkit.
As the first deal to go through in November 2014, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has spent time laying the foundations for devolution and building the groundwork for its communications activity.
After an initial 18 months "working under the radar" the authority has been working to ensure its communications are public facing and has increased its engagement with residents.
With the organisation being given more powers, it needs the public to understand what it is trying to achieve and to get behind it. As a result, it has been important for the combined authority to prioritise working on the brand and identity for the region.
The authority is working to develop a place identity that resonates with the public but is finding this challenging. Some residents feel that their local towns, such as Bury or Oldham, are where they live, rather than Greater Manchester, and don't associate themselves with the wider region.
The combined authority is clear that it must be sensitive to residents' needs for individual identities and is working alongside these to develop a place identity for Greater Manchester. Up until early 2016, the communications for the combined authority was resourced by heads of communications from member councils. But it was felt this wasn't sustainable so the combined authority has started to build up its administrative support.
A central communications lead was appointed to oversee strategic communications and stakeholder engagement, as well as a media manager. Media is a key channel that the authority is focusing on. GMCA has put procedures in place to try and ensure that press releases and statements are signed off quickly and smoothly. However, this is still work in progress and further effort is needed to ensure the media protocols are abided by.
This is particularly important when a media story cuts across several different portfolio areas, which is often the case. GMCA is also generating more news content for the media. With an interim mayor in place and the upcoming mayoral elections in 2017, the authority has a clear, authorative figure to offer for media interviews and comment.
Proactive media work to position the interim mayor in the public eye is key to ensuring residents can "see what Greater Manchester can do for them". Aside from the media, the authority has been working to improve its digital presence. In October 2015, GMCA launched a new website incorporating plain English, improved navigation and increased news content, keeping members of the public up to date on the combined authority's progress.
Forward planning is also key. As part of a new communications and engagement strategy, the communications lead is coordinating all activity and looking at upcoming key milestones, to ensure communications is embedded across all portfolio areas. This involves working with local enterprise partnerships, as well as the 10 member councils making up the combined authority. The GMCA is clear that there is still more work to do, with identity the big issue.
The GMCA has been established since 2011 and provides a footprint for other councils to follow - but each region will have its own story and issues to work on.
Top tips for getting the basics in place to effectively communicate devolution
1. Make it clear to residents the benefits of devolution and what the region will achieve for them, through strong news content, brand awareness and an established place identity
2. Be forward thinking and keep track of opportunities for communications activities
3. Develop guidelines and protocols for working with the media. Local authorities will have these in place already, but it's important the new combined authority establishes its own