Resetting the relationship between local and national government. Read our Local Government White Paper
Once the strategic objectives have been set, it is important to establish the ownership of the project – is the council the lead partner, or will responsibility sit with the LEP, or perhaps a town centre partnership board, or destination marketing agency?
Who is the political lead? Is it the council leader or one of his/her Cabinet? Set up a project group, involving external partners if appropriate, but keep it small. You want to avoid a ‘branding by committee' scenario. Get a senior level project sponsor - preferably your chief executive – who will champion the project. This does not need an overly formal project structure but to avoid problems later, the key things to establish early on are ownership, accountability, sign-off, and senior support.
You should also get a budget agreed for the brand development phase. How much this is will depend on what you are planning to do in-house, and how much you will need to rely on external support. Be realistic about your in-house capabilities and don't underbid at this stage.