Council PR strategy approved

Storytelling is the key ingredient to a new Powys County Council (PCC) communications strategy, a senior councillor has explained.

At a meeting of PCC Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet on Tuesday, July 28, senior councillors received the new draft communications strategy.

Council Leader Cllr Jake Berriman (Liberal Democrat – Llandrindod North) who looks after the communications brief stressed that the strategy is politically neutral.

This is because his “photograph” as the cabinet lead for the strategy “smiling at you” in the introductory page is not contained in the document as it would usually.

Cllr Berriman said: “I didn’t feel that was appropriate in this case.”

Cllr Berriman continued: “Communications is a two-way process and is central in supporting trust and supporting service delivery by engaging communities directly and helping people understand the difficult decision that need to made from time to time, and showing the difference the council can make for all of the people of Powys.”

He added that the strategy provides a “framework” and will use “plain language” to spread information in various areas including within the council.

Cllr Berriman added: “What’s really important emerging from this strategy is the importance of storytelling, the need to explain not only what the council is doing, why we are doing it, why it matters and what impact that is likely to have on the people and communities of Powys.

“Wrapping policies and initiatives around real life stories will help residents to better understand our priorities, challenges we face and the choices we make.”

He added that all county councillors have a “complex” role as local advocates for their communities and ambassadors for the council itself to” “share clear and accurate messages from the council into communities.”

Cabinet member for transport and climate change Cllr Jackie Charlton (Liberal Democrat – Llangattock and Llangynidr) said: “I really welcome this strategy it’s incredibly important not only to us as portfolio holders but to all councillors.”

She believed the strategy would be very important in pushing back on the “misinformation and disinformation” on council schemes.

Deputy council leader Cllr Matthew Dorrance (Labour – Brecon West) pointed out that people consume information differently now even to when the administration was formed four years and and that AI (artificial intelligence) driven content is: “creating new challenges for local government.”

Cllr Dorrance said: “If we want residents to have confidence in public services, we must provide  accurate information and correct false narratives as and when they arise, this strategy lays the foundations for us to be able to do that.”

Cabinet then unanimously voted to agree the strategy.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service