The image of public service as the “faceless bureaucrat” is hard to shake given the size and complexity of some public sector bodies. So how does the public sector change its image? With radical reforms taking place, how can public services reinvent themselves to remain relevant in a changing and challenging environment? John Shewell, head of communications at Brighton & Hove City Council, shares his insights on how the council’s major rebranding programme, “Creating a Council the City Deserves”, has completely redesigned the entire operating model of the council, improving its reputation and its brand. John Shewell, Brighton & Hove City Council, head of communications

1. Re-branding a local
authority
Thursday, 2o October 2011

2. Some views?

3. • "In government, many people have the
power to stop things happening but almost
nobody has the power to make things
happen. The system has the engine of a
lawn mower and the brakes of a Rolls
Royce."

4. Brand?
• Create a living business asset?

5. Who are we?
• Local Government organisation
• Annual budget of £750m
• Employ 8,000 staff
• Deliver over 800 services every day
• Handle everything from major international
events to making sure children cross the roads
safely
• Promote the city as an international visitor
destination - over 8m visitors every year = £7-
8m to the local economy
• First Green Party led council in the UK

6. A bit about our place
• Population of Brighton & Hove
approx 256,300
• Predicted to increase to
269,000 by 2020, a 5%
increase, compared to a
national increase of 7.4%
• Unusual age distribution with
a bulge of residents aged 20-
44 years and relatively high
numbers of residents aged 85
years or more.

7. Culture & Leisure
• 8m visitors each year
• Tourist £ = £732,328,000
• Second highest number of
museum visits outside of London
• 60% of residents attended a
local theatre or concert within
last 6 months in 2008, almost
double England level of 32%
• Hosts around 60 festivals &
largest Pride & open arts
festivals, the Fringe, in UK

8. Good News
Satisfaction with services provided by or supported by BHCC
81 80 82
74
72 71 73
71
64 63
60 64 65
56 55
48 44
46 44
2000 2003 2006 2008
Sport/leisure facilities Libraries
Museums/galleries Theater/concert halls
parks & open spaces

10. But
How satisfied are you with the way the local council
runs things?
65
% satisfied
55
52
49
47 48 45
2000 2003 2006 2008
Brighton & Hove National average

11. Perceptions of the city council
Place Survey Focus Groups
We asked
residents

12. Values associated with Brighton and Hove
Diverse
Has variety and
something for
everyone
Cosmopolitan
Tolerant
Vibrant
Unique

13. Association
Low satisfaction, high association: High satisfaction, high association:
Parking costs and control Refuse & recycling Parks
Housing
Seafront services
Roads/ transport
Associate with BHCC
Schools
Development/Planning Promoting tourism
Planning/ Building Control
Sports and leisure
Culture & arts Housing benefits Community safety
Social care
Libraries
Env health and licensing
Cemeteries/ Crematoria Registry office
Low satisfaction, low association: High satisfaction, low association:
Level of satisfaction/enthusiasm

14. Findings
• Almost all love Brighton & Hove as a place
to live
• Fundamental lack of awareness of services
- except for those that touch residents
closely
• But, residents place a high importance on
non-visible services (e.g. social
care, community safety, schools)

15. Importance
Low satisfaction, high priority: High satisfaction, high priority:
Housing Community safety
Refuse & recycling
Schools
Social care
Parking costs and control Roads/ transport
Env health and licensing Promoting tourism
Housing benefits
Seafront services Parks
Development/ Planning
Planning/ Building Control
Service Priorities
Sports and leisure
Cemeteries/ Crematoria Registry office
Culture & arts
Libraries
Low satisfaction, low priority: High satisfaction, low priority:
Level of satisfaction/enthusiasm

16. Findings
• Almost all love Brighton & Hove as a place to live
• Fundamental lack of awareness of services - except for
those that touch residents closely
• But, residents place a high importance on non-visible
services (e.g. social care, community safety, schools)
• The Council lacks a human face – few can
identify positive attributes

17. How we’re perceived

18. But also…
• Open-minded/ leading: will try new
ideas
• Caring/ dependable: will be there in
a time of need, trying its hardest
• Ambitious/ driven: has to be to get
policies through, manage conflicts
• Schizophrenic : good at some things
and bad at others

19. Findings
“I‟ve always got them to thank
because if it wasn‟t for them I‟d be
on the streets”

20. The Result
• Our message isn‟t getting through
• Residents not seeing value from their
Council Tax – what does it pay for?
• Frustration amongst residents that they
have little influence over local decisions
• patchy customer experience - inconsistent

21. The Personality of
Brighton & Hove: What
our research tells us

29. The Challenge…
Our ultimate goal
is to close this gap

30. Good News
Satisfaction with services provided by or supported by BHCC
81 80 82
74
72 71 73
71
64 63
60 64 65
56 55
48 44
46 44
2000 2003 2006 2008
Sport/leisure facilities Libraries
Museums/galleries Theater/concert halls
parks & open spaces

31. But
How satisfied are you with the way the local council
runs things?
65
% satisfied
55
52
49
47 48 45
2000 2003 2006 2008
Brighton & Hove National average

32. Connection with Place
New Council Place
Existing Council
Identity/ Identity/
Personality Personality

33. Closing the Gap
Clear consistent brand
& experience
Greater Value for Money
Increased message
penetration
Shift in audience
perception
Recognition for
service delivery
Improved reputation

34. 1. Change our face
• From resident feedback – develop the new
„face‟ of BHCC
• Look to address misperceptions
• Exploit similarities with the City
• Our new face reflected in a new
experience as well as all comms
• Opportunity to transform the customer
experience

35. Our new face
How we are How we’d like to
perceived be perceived
“All they do is rubber stamp “The Council make Brighton &
and collect our money” Hove a fantastic place to live”
• Faceless • Open
• Greedy • Approachable
• Slow • Friendly
• Unapproachable • Human
• Expensive • Efficient
• Old • Sociable
• Power hungry • Listening
• Institutionalised • Resourceful
• Detached • Fast
• Ideological • Grounded
• Caring /Dependable • Pioneering
• Open minded • Leading
• Ambitious • Open minded

36. 2. Less is more
• Focus efforts ONLY on what
matters the most to residents
• Talk issues – not services

37. Our Test
Is it different?
• Have we tapped into what really makes Brighton & Hove
different?
• Could another Council or Place say the same thing?
• Have we been really honest with ourselves?
Is it authentic?
• Is our brand realistic and authentic?
• Is our brand realistic and achievable?
• Can we live up to and deliver the promise?

38. Our Test
Will it connect with residents?
• Does it reflect the personality of the council?
• Can residents experience a difference?
• Are we truly connecting with residents in a way that they
will understand and appreciate?
Will it connect with our staff?
• Will our staff support our ambitions to improve the
customer experience?
• Is the comms flexible enough to work across all
services/audiences to connect with the city?

39. Our Test
Does it connect with place?
• Does the identity reflect the true
personality of the Council and Place?
• Does the identity express our aspirations
for the Council & Place?
• Does the identity reflect the „real‟ reasons
that people live in Brighton & Hove?

40. Famous for…
With energy, passion and enthusiasm the
council exists to:
• Involve Citizens
• Innovate Services and
• Improve Lives
„Creating a Council the City Deserves‟

41. Put simply…
• Make better use of public money / Cut
waste and red-tape (innovate)
• Council should support people, not stand
in the way / Focus on front line services
and putting residents first (improve)
• Residents should have more say in how
services are delivered (involve)

42. Re-design…
• Hierarchical & silo • Flatter & joined up
• Top-down/command (council & partners)
& control • Matrix model
• Financial pressures • Co-production
“driven to bottom line” • Citizen/stakeholder
• Impacts on citizens – involvement in service
“get done to” design & delivery
• Ordered • Chaotic

43. “A Council the City Deserves”
• Let go of control
• Empower staff
• Redesign our entire business model
(TOM)
• A new model that can flex to adapt to
changing environment

44. Impact
• This work paved the way for a new model of
working at the council
• Breaking down silos – joining up work across
departments and partner organisations
• Creating a “networked council”: Devolving
leadership and responsibility so that even our
front-line staff are empowered to take decisions
on the spot where customer satisfaction is at its
most potent.

45. Lessons…
• Understand the “histrionics”
– Cultures
– Politics
– Values/behaviours
– Informal/formal networks
• Clear & visible leadership
• Be open & honest
• Accept failure as part of “innovation”
• Focus on the journey – not the destination

46. A message from our sponsor
• “Councils must demonstrate their relevance by
adapting to the changing environment and
constantly innovate. We need to adopt a
Google-like mentality in which innovation
becomes ingrained in our DNA, and achieved
through collaboration and co-creation.
• “First, we‟ve got to relinquish power and hand
control to the community. Second, we‟ve got to
involve them more in the design and delivery of
services. Finally, we‟ve got to complete the
triangulation of council-citizen-innovation in
order to become truly relevant.” John Barradell,
CEx of Brighton & Hove City Council

47. Brand equity?
• Financial implications
– “BP's accounts for 2010 put aside $41bn to
pay for the spill, two and a half times more
than BP's entire profit in 2009.” (BBC, 19 April
2011)

48. Questions?
John Shewell
Head of Communications
Brighton & Hove City Council
E: john.shewell@brighton-
hove.gov.uk
T: www.twitter.com/johnshewell
Ph: 01273 291039