Communications and Engagement Action Plan
Communications and Engagement Action Plan 2025-28
Action plans for:
External Communications Action Plan 2025 - 2028
Theme: Informing
What are we going to do?
Create short instructional videos and guides for key council services such as recycling, benefits, council tax and environmental priorities.
Why?
To increase residents understanding of the Council’s services, how to use them more effectively and aid their learning of why they are delivered in line with our policies and strategies.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Evaluation of the campaign with social media reach statistics.
When?
Review content for forthcoming 12 months, 2026 and 2027 and ongoing.
What are we going to do?
Further develop annual communications planner to assist resourcing and focus of activity.
Why?
Week to week and month to month communications activities can be assessed to identify and prioritise updates so content can be ever more timely and informative.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Week in week out reference to the planner in line with weekly team meetings.
When?
Ongoing.
What are we going to do?
Include behavioural change campaigns in line with Simpler Recycling and other environmental campaigns.
Why?
In line with the Council’s environment strategic priority, inform and communicate any service delivery changes to waste services.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Continual evaluation of communication updates across the correct channels to maximise reaching residents on updates.
When?
Ongoing in line with key project milestones.
Theme: Involving stakeholders
What are we going to do?
Continue social media ‘advocacy’ featuring front line colleagues and their roles in our communities – waste, customer services, revenues and benefits and internal teams.
Why?
To ensure residents can relate to those who operate our services and gain insight into how they deliver value for money services.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Evaluation through social media reach statistics and the debate and subsequent common queries it creates.
When?
Review December 2025, 2026 and 2027 and ongoing.
What are we going to do?
In line with ICT Strategy 2025-2028, assess, review and analyse where AI can assist reaching more audiences with updates on Council services.
Why?
To identify where AI can help reach more stakeholders with Council news and updates.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Continued engagement with AI related actions from ICT Strategy 2025-2028.
When?
Ongoing.
Theme: Discussing and devolving
What are we going to do?
Increase promotion of residents email subscription topics and continue to publicise Rushcliffe Gardener updates digitally.
Why?
Residents can access ever increasing digital updates direct to their inbox, educating and influencing further engagement with Council services including those accessing garden waste service
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of increase in subscribers on the channel to the new topics and Gardener updates.
When?
Bi-monthly.
What are we going to do?
Develop further social media campaigns, including how key council decisions such as council tax, budget setting and major projects are finalised.
Why?
Drive engagement with residents on digital channels that are increasingly being utilised so they can relate to our services and democratic processes.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of engagement over each year of the strategy with at least three trial updates during the first year of the strategy.
When?
Ongoing.
What are we going to do?
Continue to promote the RBC website to stakeholders, highlighting the council’s priorities prominently and Customer Service functions.
Why?
Ensure residents and stakeholders can access the Council’s contemporary and accessible website as a source for all key information on Council news, updates and services.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Analysing website data via Google Analytics.
When?
Ongoing promotion three times a year for the life of the strategy.
What are we going to do?
Complete an annual audit of existing social media channels effectiveness and review a matrix of creating accounts on new channels as they emerge and evolve.
Why?
To ensure the Council is reaching ever greater audiences and demographics.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Annual review in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
When?
Annually.
Theme: Listening, responding and consulting
What are we going to do?
Continually review the Performance and Reputation team’s capacity to address increasing accessability and website demands in line with AI and digital stands of ICT Strategy 2025-2028.
Why?
To audit and identify where the team’s skills could be strengthened. Increase learning and development of the team’s wider communication attributes in line with industry and ICT trends as AI and digital skills evolve.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of training and projects undertaken and subsequent audit of new or shared skills acquired that have led to new communications themes or content being created.
When?
Ongoing with review in December 2025, 2026 and 2027.
What are we going to do?
Continue annual Local Government Association advised ‘who reads what’ survey to further inform content of communications to different stakeholders.
Why?
To ensure communication updates to different stakeholders are fit for purpose and providing timely updates to inform and engage these audiences.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Survey completion and subsequent report of results from stakeholders.
When?
Annually.
What are we going to do?
Continue to report via the Executive on Freeport and East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) updates to aid engagement and place shaping. Assess alongside corporate and communications priorities.
Why?
Residents need to have an overview of key external partnerships and projects. It is also important for an understanding of the cohesion between the two sets of priorities.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Evaluation and monitoring of volume of key updates on Freeport and EMCCA and references between the priorities.
When?
Ongoing and review December 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Internal Communications Action Plan 2025 - 2028
Theme: Listening, responding and consulting
What are we going to do?
Build on 2024 staff survey key findings to further guide content in internal updates.
Why?
Staff can see how their views in the survey equate into actions on approaches to themes and projects around the organisation and a ‘you said we did’ analysis.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Ongoing timely features in updates referencing the internal survey and how key findings are being implemented.
When?
Regular checks with 2024 findings.
What are we going to do?
Further animation in newsletter updates for staff, councillors and town and parish updates to freshen accompanying static content.
Why?
Make content ever more engaging so stakeholders can relate to topics and updates in a less formal way.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Regular checks in line with communications planner.
When?
Ongoing in line with seasonal and specific campaigns.
What are we going to do?
Introduce annual staff newsletter poll via updates and email to gauge how content can continue to engage and influence.
Why?
To assist teams being engaged on different topics through a channel that takes seconds rather than minutes to respond to, aiding response and insight.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Diarised polls agreed with Head of Service and in line with communications planner.
When?
Annually.
Theme: Informing
What are we going to do?
Further identify opportunities for effective video content to influence and inform staff of each others roles and play a role in recruitment in selected posts.
Why?
So staff can relate to and find out more on each other’s roles, contributing to the organisation’s understanding and connections across its teams.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of internal update features for each year of the strategy.
When?
Ongoing.
What are we going to do?
Continue to identify ways of engaging staff and councillors with news and updates.
Why?
Ensure these stakeholders are engaging with Council external news effectively and ever more aware of how residents are digesting and reacting to updates.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Assessment of weekly and other updates to ensure links and content to the updates are relevant and engaging with the correct tone and style.
When?
Ongoing and review December 2025, 2026 and 2027.
What are we going to do?
Review the Council’s internal screensaver channels to relay relevant messages and use engaging digital content.
Why?
To inform and educate internal stakeholders on key messages in a prominent way at Council sites or their devices.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Regular checks in line with communications planner outlined above with diarised updates.
When?
Six-monthly review of content.
What are we going to do?
Review internal posters at sites to further influence staff on key messages.
Why?
Ensure sites are prominent and regularly and timely updated to accompany digital communications on key internal events and updates.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Checks in line with communications planner outlined above with diarised updates.
When?
Ongoing throughout the life of the strategy.
What are we going to do?
Produce and evaluate content that focuses and engages on themes from the Council’s Smarter Ways of Working and Flexi Time policies for staff.
Why?
So staff can continue to relate to the policy and how its flexible themes can aid the balance of working across Council sites and other locations.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
A minimum of five internal updates during each year of the strategy.
When?
Ongoing.
Theme: Involving stakeholders
What are we going to do?
Balancing corporate messages with interactive updates that are relatable to staff and councillors in line with the Council’s priorities and key strategies.
Why?
So staff can understand and connect with priorities and strategies in a way they understand with their day to day work at the Council.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of updates for each year of the strategy.
When?
Ongoing.
Theme: Discussing and devolving
What are we going to do?
Assess video usage in staff and councillor newsletters and include a round-up of compliments every quarter reflecting and recognising achievement and effort.
Why?
To aid teams connection with the organisation and relate to when their work is being acknowledged. A follow-up opportunity to remind staff their work continues to be valued.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Quarterly updates in line with communications planner.
When?
Ongoing throughout the life of the strategy.
Theme: Working and collaborating
What are we going to do?
Work with the Employee Liaison Group and Workplace Health Champions on identifying staff to drive internal campaigns and goals.
Why?
For staff to have ever greater roles and influence on ways to improve their time at work and identify wider wellbeing opportunities to benefit each other.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of individuals identified to take projects forward.
When?
Ongoing.
What are we going to do?
Continue reference to corporate values in line with HR updates in induction process.
Why?
Annual staff newsletter poll via updates and email to gauge how content can continue to engage and influence.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Six monthly reviews with the HR team.
When?
Ongoing and review December 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Engagement Action Plan 2025 - 2028
Theme: Listening, responding and consulting
What are we going to do?
Ensure residents and stakeholders are engaged and consulted over possible Local Government Reorganisation.
Why?
So all are kept fully up to date with how this may affect Council services, why any changes are being proposed and the chance to have their say.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Updating all channels with key messages at the appropriate times and key milestones, responding and listening to feedback on the updates.
When?
Ongoing and in line with key project milestones.
What are we going to do?
Increase ways stakeholders can feedback on particular frontline services such as Streetwise, parks and recycling.
Why?
So more specific data and views can be captured to shape services.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Online surveys annually for each selected service area.
When?
Agreed with Head of Service.
What are we going to do?
Capture data on the demographics of who is responding to surveys to ensure the Council is receiving a fair representation of views from across its communities.
Why?
To further inform which demographics are responding and so surveys and calls for feedback can be targeted further at under-represented groups.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of times those responding to surveys are asked to confirm their demographic.
When?
Ongoing with all surveys.
What are we going to do?
Collect specific data on the Council’s events programme from event goers to shape event formats going forward.
Why?
So event goers can have ever more input and feedback on events to help them evolve in future years.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Digital consultation after each event in local press and on Council channels.
When?
Ongoing and review December 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Theme: Involving and reaching
What are we going to do?
Further signpost opportunities with Nottinghamshire County Council’s District Youth Forum.
Why?
So younger generations of stakeholders can engage and understand more on council services and the political process.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Signposting to the forum on social media and other channels at least once a month.
When?
Ongoing and at least three times a year across all channels.
What are we going to do?
Strengthen links and publicise services and updates further to hard to reach and larger ethnic minority community groups, Your CVS and Town and Parish Councils.
Why?
To make new and strengthen existing ties with these networks to aim to reach those not already engaged through current channels.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Ensure all weekly external newsletters are received by the groups and encouraged to share with their networks. Increased sharing of each others’ updates on social media.
When?
Ongoing.
What are we going to do?
Explore incentive projects for younger people to subscribe, like, follow and engage further with Council social media and/or other channels
Why?
To increase the volume of younger audiences engaging with Council services.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of posts inviting younger audiences to like, follow and engage for possible rewards and subsequent engagement statistics.
When?
Post a minimum of two annual incentive driven posts.
Theme: Working and collaborating
What are we going to do?
Further use free newspaper and other print outlets with verified distribution to further reach non-digitally engaged stakeholders.
Why?
To ensure the Borough’s demographics who do not engage digitally receive news and updates on Council services.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of engagement and updates appearing in titles.
When?
Ongoing.
What are we going to do?
Ensure all consultations and 2027 residents’ survey reaches hard to reach groups including but not exclusive to Hong Kong Notts, U3A, Your CVS, Town and Parish contacts and those with additional needs or neurodiversity.
Why?
So groups with large reach into networks the Council may not reach directly can be further advocates for sharing Council news and updates and how they can contact the Council.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of responses from each group.
When?
Ongoing with extra focus on 2027 residents’ survey.
Theme: Discussing and devolving
What are we going to do?
Signpost and publicise the Nottinghamshire Citizens Panel run by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Why?
So residents can identify even further opportunities to have their views heard on other Council services in their area.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of engagement increasing in the panel as a result of the communications.
When?
Ongoing and at least three times a year across all channels.
Theme: Informing
What are we going to do?
Provide advice, support and guidance on any significant specific or regulatory service changes. For example, environmental health, planning or waste service changes.
Why?
So stakeholders are aware of key updates in line with any key Council decisions or legislation changes.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Volume of communications across all channels at key milestones of the regulatory or service change.
When?
Ongoing in line with service changes.
What are we going to do?
Ensure residents are further aware of the channels to voice their thoughts – contact your ward councillor, Town and Parish and more engagement with Citizens’ Questions opportunities
Why?
To ensure residents are ever more aware of the ways they can have their questions on services answered.
How will we know when we have achieved it?
Bi-annual updates in all newsletters and dedicated news updates signposting residents how to make contact.
When?
Ongoing with a minimum of three annual updates across all channels.