London borough
of Lambeth

 

Client

A London Borough exploring options for an arm’s length management organisation (ALMO).

Brief

To raise awareness and increase support amongst tenants, leaseholders, staff, members and stakeholders.

 

Activity

Our service included strategic planning and advice, delivering a comprehensive communications programme to diverse audiences and providing face-to-face community engagement services.

Our work was set against a background of very diverse communities (more than 300 languages are spoken in Lambeth) and an organised opposition that included local politicians, Defend Council Housing, trades unions, numerous residents’ groups and
some staff.

Our initial approach involved developing a comprehensive communications and engagement strategy that reflected both internal and external audiences and was partly based on stakeholder research.

 

The strategy had two main phases:

Phase 1- raising awareness of the general proposal and the need for investment in council housing

Phase 2 - Communicating and engaging residents, staff and stakeholders on the ALMO and the detailed proposal.

 

Throughout the campaign, opinion amongst the key audiences was measured and the strategy adjusted to respond to new or emerging issues. The overarching strategy was supported by complementary strategies for media relations, resident and voluntary sector engagement and staff communications.

We conceived, developed, prepared and delivered a range of communication and engagement activity including:

1) Developing the ALMO ‘Lambeth Living’ brand (from name generation to visual identity) and the campaign slogan ‘Yes to Council housing, yes to investment’

2) Producing a tabloid-style campaign newsletter with resident spokespeople, strong imagery and use of plain English

3) Writing, designing, printing and distributing a range of communications to leaseholders, tenants and residents - including fact cards, personal letters and correspondence to voluntary and community organisations

4) Writing articles for the Council’s newsletter, ‘Lambeth Life’

5) Scripting and producing a campaign DVD which featured celebrity Floella Benjamin and numerous residents

6) Writing, designing and printing material in response to Defend Council Housing and trade union material

7) Writing and designing a campaign website

8) Facilitating a range of media briefings and issuing media releases at key stages

9) Developing the methodology for a comprehensive home visit programme

10) Organising and facilitating focus groups with residents of street properties

11) Attending meetings with community and voluntary organisations

12) Writing and designing an ALMO bulletin for staff and elected members

13) Preparing material for political briefings and reports

14) Producing communications material for staff conferences and briefing sessions.

Outcomes

Resident opinion was tested by a range of independent surveys during the campaign. The effectiveness of our approach was evident: over a five-month period, tenant awareness of the ALMO proposal increased by 42.7 per cent, and tenant support for it increased by 32.3 per cent. A staff survey also revealed that awareness of and support for the ALMO had increased significantly amongst staff.

 

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