In December 2002 the Board considered the findings of target audience research by Opinion Leader Research which emphasised the need for clarity about who the Agency is and what it does.   The Board is asked to note the corporate messages for the Age...
Countryside Agency Archive

Breadcrumbs

Key Corporate Messages for 2003/04 (AP03/08)

Principal Manager Responsible: Isobel Coy/Lucy Vincent Lead Board Member: Frances Rowe

FOR INFORMATION 


Point to note:

 


·        the corporate messages for the Agency as a whole and its six areas of activity to underpin communications in 2003/4.

 

 

 

Relevance to Strategy and Corporate Plan:

 


·        Combined with the new corporate plan structure resfreshed strategy, to provide a simpler picture of our work.

·        Central to ensuring a clearer focus in our activities, enabling all our teams to convey our work in a more compelling and consistent way.

 

 

Staff and financial implications:

 


·        The Corporate Plan 2003/04 includes resources for this work.

 

Observations to the Board:

 


·        These key messages should provide a clearer focus to our work and address the apparent confusion over the range of Agency activities.

·        Members and officers should be confident to use the messages in all their communications.


Background

 

1.   Last December the Board (AP02/41) considered the findings of target audience research by Opinion Leader Research which emphasised the need for clarity about who we and what we do.   In particular we needed to reinforce our message that we are not “either adviser or doer” but both - with our independent and objective advice rooted in sound research and practical action on the ground.   An analysis of external and internal issues for 2003/04 shows that our communication priority must be to explain what we are about as an organisation.  

 

2.   Our simplified structure, new corporate plan and refreshed strategy document are enabling all our teams to convey our work in a more compelling way - with clear priorities and outcomes for each programme.    Clear messages are essential to enable us all, members and officers, to be more focused in all external communications.

 

3.   The strategy document defines the high level message that has been developed   to encompass all of our work.   It states simply that:

 

“The Countryside Agency is the statutory body working to make the quality of life better in the countryside and the quality of the countryside better for everyone”.

 

Attached in Annex 1 is the standard corporate text which is being used now in our communications, such as publications and presentations,   where a more detailed explanation of our work is required.

 

4.   Early feedback to the strategy document suggests that our new structure of 6 main outward facing programmes is simpler to understand and allows people to see more clearly our main business. But we also need to be clear on how we will describe our work. This paper   recommends our key corporate messages for the coming year.   

 

Proposals

 

5.   In previous years, when the Agency had numerous programmes,   communications focused on two or three subject themes to be pursued each 6 months.    Now with our simpler structure, we can use our six outward-facing programmes to define our key messages for the next year. 

 

6.  Annex 2   gives the key message for each of our 6 programmes, explaining why and how the Agency is addressing each issue.   These can be used in conjunction with our standard corporate message: or can stand alone when discussing a particular programme.   They will be used in all communications on these individual aims and also as a tool for all staff to help explain how each individual project they undertake is contributing to the Agency’s corporate aim. 

 

7.   These are over-arching;   there will still be a need to develop messages tailored to each audience, campaign or issue underneath them.   But they provide a simpler focus to enable everybody to explain our business and for staff to develop more detailed messages within their own areas.   

 

Risks and mitigation measures

 

8.   The risk is to the reputation of the Countryside Agency if any confusion surrounding our role and our corporate priorities is allowed to remain.   We will mitigate this risk by agreeing key messages and ensuring members and staff understand and use them.

 

Annex 1

 

Standard corporate text

 

The Countryside Agency is the statutory body working to make:

 

ź         the quality of life better for people in the countryside, and

ź         the quality of the countryside better for everyone.

 

The Countryside Agency will help to achieve the following outcomes:

ź                Empowered, active and inclusive communities;

ź                High standards of rural services;

ź                Vibrant local economies;

ź                All countryside managed sustainably;

ź                Recreation infrastructure that's easy to enjoy;

ź                Realising the potential of the urban fringe.

We summarise our role as:

 

ź         Statutory champion and watchdog;

ź         Influencing and inspiring solutions through our know how and show how;

ź         Delivering where we are best placed to add value.

 

 

We are funded mainly by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.  


Annex 2  

 

Key Programme messages

 

Vital Villages

“Rural communities are often best placed to decide for themselves what they want and how to   provide it. To ensure empowered, active and inclusive communities, we are:

ź          working with local communities, parish councils and voluntary bodies to help them help themselves, and show others how to do it  

 

Essential services

“Delivery of essential services in the countryside can need a particular approach. To ensure high standards of rural services, we are:

ź          monitoring how well services are being delivered to those who live in the countryside and researching what causes disadvantage 

ź          working with all government departments to make sure their policies take account of rural needs"

 

New enterprise 

“Rural businesses are a lot more than just farming and tourism. To encourage vibrant local economies,   we are:

ź          identifying   what rural businesses need to unlock the   economic potential of England's countryside

ź          helping market towns to identify and tackle problems so they can serve local business and community needs.”

 

Living landscapes 

“The countryside we value is shaped by farming and forestry: some is so important it is given special protection. To ensure that all countryside is sustainably managed, we are:.

ź          funding first-class land management and protecting England’s finest countryside.

ź         helping to shape agricultural and rural development planning and policy

ź         showing the links between the countryside and food we eat”

 

Wider welcome 

“The countryside is vital to help people to get away from it all. To provide recreation opportunities for all, we are:

ź         removing the barriers to access for thsoe who find it most difficult to get to the countryside

ź         implementing the Countryside and Rights of Way Act to give access to open country for the first time

ź         showing how enjoying the countryside is good for our health”

 

Countryside for towns

“The countryside close to where most people live is often the most neglected. To realise the potential of the urban fringe, we are:

 

·  showing the best ways to make life better by providing green space for all”