Appendix 1 Council Communication Strategy 2024 – 2027

Argyll and Bute Council · 10 October 2024
Back to Policy and Resources Committee — 10 October 2024 and its agenda

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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Council Communication Strategy
2024 - 2027
Together for Argyll and Bute

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Argyll and Bute Council, and the area as a whole, face
challenges and opportunities in building the prosperous
future that the council and our communities want.
The nature and scope of what has to be achieved 
highlight the need for everyone who cares about 
Argyll and Bute to work together for its benefit.
As an illustration, challenges and opportunities include:
attracting people, skills and investment to the area;
addressing the impact of climate change; and public 
sector reform that envisages increased collaboration 
across agencies and with communities.
Effective communication is key to achieving success 
– to contribute to success, people must know why and 
how to play their part.
This strategy sets direction for how the council will
communicate to support employees, communities 
and the area as a whole in achieving our goals.
Context
The strategy focuses on
informing to involve –
enabling anyone with a
contribution to make, to
work with us and support
the success of the area.

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
1. Strategic alignment .................................................................................................................. 4
2.  Delivering impact – communication principles and practices  ............................................ 5
3. Corporate guidance, policies, and legislation  ...................................................................... 8
4.   Campaign priorities 2024/25 .................................................................................................... 9
5.  Key position statements and hashtags 2024/25 .................................................................. 10
Contents

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Strategic alignment 1
This strategy is developed to support:
The council’s vision for a successful, vibrant Argyll and Bute
with a growing population and a thriving economy; a place
where people want to come to live, to work and to do business.
Connect for Success – the council’s drive to develop culture
that enables business success.
Local ambition – employees’ commitment to doing a good
job in difficult circumstances, and communities’ aspiration 
for success for Argyll and Bute.
The increasing importance, in day-to-day practices and
in national reform proposals, of agencies, councils and
communities working together.

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Delivering impact2
Trusted voice 
o  Our communication will be
open, accurate and accessible,
to provide information that can
be trusted amidst the risk of mis/
disinformation elsewhere.
Inform to involve 
o  We will provide information and
opportunities for those with a
contribution to make to, to work 
with us for Argyll and Bute’s success.
Evidence and insight 
o  Communication activity is based 
on audience insight, and evaluated 
so that we do what works.
Proactive and reactive 
o  We will adapt communication
practices to resources and
opportunities.
Principles
Enabling 
o  We will make support available 
in communicating effectively
o  We will deliver communication 
services that support communities 
affected by, and council services
responding to, area emergencies
Digital First 
o  In support of customer preferences,
and delivering best value, we will
take opportunities from digital
innovations to develop and improve
communication practices.
Council and area 
o  Our communication services
will support the objectives of the
council and also the aims shared
with partners for the area.

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
There is local, national and global competition for people’s time and attention, from the considerable
scale of information sources available.
We will use a range of channels to match communication activity to the right communication channel
to reach our audiences.
These will include but not necessarily be limited to:
Communication practices
Digital communication
o  We will develop channels for
making information accessible 
for all employees
o  We will identify and take
opportunities to grow the
relevance and therefore
use of our channels by 
our communities.
Social media 
o  We will match content strategy 
for each channel to its audience
o  We will use corporate hashtags 
for sharing across council sites 
and reaching more people
Visual communication
o  We will use corporate branding to
show communities how the council
delivers value from its public sector
funding, and the role we play in
community life.
o  We will use high quality design
material to develop the effectiveness
of our digital communication channels.
Word of mouth / interaction with 
the council
o  Communication skills development
– many people communicate on
behalf of the council; we will provide
guidance in delivering informed,
constructive communication.

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Cyber attacks have the potential to stop access to the digital systems that organisations
depend upon to communicate with each other and their communities.
Councils have a duty to warn and inform their communities in area emergencies.
To be able to comply with this duty, and support employees and communities in the event 
of a cyber attack, the council will maintain corporate communication channels that sit
outside the council’s systems as well as within it.
Resilience – council and community
We will develop an annual communication plan to set out priority communication
initiatives. These will support area, council and service priorities.
Communication campaigns and initiatives
Our audiences are our employees, our communities, our partners, and everyone 
with a contribution to make to life in Argyll and Bute.

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
1.  Key corporate guidance and policies delivered or updated through this strategy:
a. Corporate council media protocol
b. Social media policy 
c. Council corporate brand guidelines 
d. Communication skills development
Corporate guidance, policies, and legislation3
2. Legislation/guidance relevant to this strategy:
a. National code of publicity 
b. Councillors’ code of conduct
c. Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 
d. Inclusive/accessible communication guidance
e. Other relevant council service strategies
e. Consultation and engagement skills development 
i. Involving communities guide 
ii. Measuring success and learning lessons of on-line consultations

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Priority campaigns/initiatives for 2024/25
Supports the council’s vision Council/community support Responds to community voice Employee support
Campaign Purpose Comms Team + Service Benefits
Better journeys / Active Travel campaign Public interest and action in taking small
steps to reduce car use
Active Travel Roads and Pathways
Recycling – do more Why, what and how to recycle, to
increase recycling rates
Waste Services Waste and recycling services
We’re listening – You said, we did –
web information produced and process
developed – to benefit communities and
evidence-based decision making.
Public is aware of the difference their
views make
Web Team + consulting services Communities
Area-wide recruitment/resettlement–
develop use of abplace2b.scot /
#abplace2b
Budget-free promotion of Argyll and Bute
as a place to live and work
Partner agencies Econ Dev – investing in the future
Climate-friendly Argyll and Bute How to reduce your carbon footprint Climate Change Board Commercial services – making assets
work now
Recruitment – develop and put to effect
council employer brand
Candidates see and are interested in
council vacancies
Comms Team Skills to deliver council services for
communities
Realistic expectations of the council Develop informed expectations of the
council to support council/communities
working together – we can do this, we
cannot do this, communities could do this…
RIS to start Council/community understanding
Have a great time, be a great visitor Responsible tourism support Econ Dev Community priorities
Develop employee communication
channels and sounding board
Equality of employee access to
information and employee views known
and heard in making change happen well.
Employee volunteers Increase employee involvement in
communication that works
National reform/local position Employees and communities informed
about change and how it affects them
CEX Council’s trusted voice in changing
affecting all
Campaign and initiative priorities for 2024/254

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Key position statements and hashtags 2024/25
What we communicate will obviously depend on what is useful in different circumstances.
Below are overall position statements required (at the time of writing this strategy), by the
circumstances in which the council is working, to be shared with our communities.
“ Argyll and Bute Council must adapt to national reform across our services
while also working to address challenges particular to the area. We would
love to do all our communities want us to, and will continue to do more than
we have a duty to, but decisions outside our control will affect or limit what
we do. We will continue to campaign to bring the funding and support 
Argyll and Bute needs and welcome everyone with a contribution to make,
working together for the good of the area.”
Councils’ position
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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
Public – to help communities access support they need, and know what
they can expect from the council as we progress through multi-million
pound budget cuts, we need to explain that:
o  We’d love to do everything our communities want us to do; lack of
finance unfortunately means we can’t
o  We still do more than we have a duty to do, and deliver countless
services every day that support all aspects of life in Argyll and Bute
o  We can do [this]. We cannot do [this]. You could do [this] to support
your community and area
o You could help us save services by…
Employees – Connect for success – employees’ role is key in
modernising the council’s working practices to match business need; 
we need to illustrate how:
o  Connect for Success will make it easier for you to get your work done;
and that it’s about 
o Developing working practices that work for you
Argyll and Bute Council’s role

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
‘good career choice first, vacancy second’ – raise understanding of 
the area as a desirable location to choose for work, and the council 
as a good employer, to increase interest in vacancies when they arise
encourage communities to help attract the skills they need by 
promoting vacancies 
use data analysis to do more of what works in attracting candidates  
develop use of these hashtags to promote reasons to choose Argyll 
and Bute, and the council:
o #abplace2b
o #closerthanyouthink 
o #awardwinning
Attracting the skills council services need 
to deliver council services:

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Communication Strategy 2023 - 2026  Together for Argyll and Bute
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
To encourage people to work with the council, we must show that:
the council listens to and acts on your contributions to consultation 
and engagement exercises.
We produce better results by working together 
o #workingtogether
o #thankyou
Working together

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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
FURTHER
INFORMATION
For further information please contact:
Communications Team on 01546 604171 
or jane.jarvie@argyll-bute.gov.uk