1. How does local government need to adapt to a digital and networked public? The Networked Councillor 3 October 2014 Daniel Herrera (Assoc CIPD) Public-I Learning and Organisational Development Manager

2. Why are we doing this?

3. Democratic participation is dropping. Participation online is growing.

4. Findings from the Networked Councillor Research Project & Report 2013 with East of England LGA

5. Articulates the challenges and opportunities that face local politicians operating in an increasingly networked and digital society. Suggestion is that such a society requires a Networked Councillor embodying key qualities of: openness, digital culture and co-production, in order to reach and respond effectively. The research suggests that the emphasis should be on ensuring that elected representatives are deeply networked with their communities. Social media is an important part of this but networked councilors will be effectively working with online and offline networks. Networked councillor Research & Report 2013 Networked Councillor Report 2013Networked Councillor Report 2013 http://tiny.cc/nc-reporthttp://tiny.cc/nc-report

6. Many members we spoke to used social media outside of their political life There as a general acceptance that more digital methods were needed – but a difficulty in knowing where to start and what to say The pace of change is erratic and there are urban/rural differences The support they were getting from officers did not seem to meet their actual needs Members needed help in integrating the demands of online with their existing work What did the Members tell us? Networked Councillor Report 2013Networked Councillor Report 2013 http://tiny.cc/nc-reporthttp://tiny.cc/nc-report

7. The officers we spoke to often admitted to discouraging members from going online – they saw the loss of control as a big issue There was consensus around the need to address the issues of training and support more seriously Networked and participatory models should be adopted offline as well as online And the officers? Networked Councillor Report 2013Networked Councillor Report 2013 http://tiny.cc/nc-reporthttp://tiny.cc/nc-report

8. How does this impact Welsh local authorities?

9. Welsh Online & Offline Data * Oxford Internet Survey 2014 calculation 71% of Welsh population are online with either a fixed or mobile broadband contract.Oxford Internet Survey 2014

10. Local Authorities need a social media strategy to fully engage their online citizens. Democratic Services Communications Consultation and Policy Community Engagement But who does this involve?

11. Welsh LGA Authority MemberTwitter FollowersFacebook Likes Cardiff Council 29,800- City and County of Swansea 18,5005829 Monmouthshire County Council 10,6002,023 Wrexham County Borough Council 10,4003,437 Vale of Glamorgan Council 9,1034,893 Gwynedd Council 8,4193,167 Pembrokeshire County Council 8,2906,654 Caerphilly County Borough Council 7,2916780 Torfaen County Borough Council 7,1677,446 Newport City Council 7,1053,741 Flintshire County Council 6,972169 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority6,91912,012 Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council 6,8383,533 Powys County Council 5,951903 Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council 5,778- Denbighshire County Council 5,4091,188 Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council50653,108 Conwy County Borough Council 4,895719 Bridgend County Borough Council 4465434 Isle of Anglesey County Council 3,7783,337 Carmarthenshire County Council 3,4872521 Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council 3,3521,671 Ceredigion County Council 3,0082,668 Sum Total182,59276,233 Average7,9393,630 Welsh LGA Council – Social Media Data

12. 23 Welsh authority accounts Average: 3,600 likes. Total: 76,233 Typical council comms following 23 Welsh authority accounts Average: 8,000 followers Total: 182,592 Top UK networked councillors average at 2,000 followers

13. What about the elected representative?elected representative

14. 1,264 elected Welsh networked councillors Welsh Online Engagement Strategy = Each councillor would only need on average 1,721 followers to engage the whole Welsh population in coproductive conversations

15. This is a whole system change but in a democratic system the elected representatives are crucial

16. To make systemic change we need to look at all of the participants: Citizen Member Officer You can’t make significant change without effecting all parts of the system: Networked Councillor member development programme Work to connect and create Citizen Networks around targeted communities Parallel work with Officers to ensure they have the skills in place to support and extend the programme

17. Open by default: this is open not just in terms of information but also in terms of thinking and decision making Digitally native: not in terms of age but in terms of the individual adopting the behaviours and social norms of the digital culture Co-productive: an expectation that everyone in the conversation has power to act and the potential to be active in the outcome as well as the decision- making process And as the name says, networked: able to be effective via networked as well as hierarchical power as a leader The qualities of the Networked Councillor

18. The range of networked behaviours Communicative Tell people what you have done We have developed a model of networked councillor behaviours Collaborative Discuss with people what you are doing Co-productive Agree with people what you could do together

19. 1 Tweet or Facebook post alerting 2000 local people Increased traffic to live meetings: Members using their social networks to advise of new webcast meetings. Disseminated decision making: citizens more likely to watch when specific decisions notified by the elected representative. Improved behaviour in debates: when members are aware that their consituency are watching there is a marked improvement in behaviour Networked Councillor’s Impact on Webcasting =

20. Programme Structure

21. SprintTitleOutcome ZeroPreparing support & accounts Skills Audit, matching officers & members. Social media 101 Draft programme overview TwoCreating and managing your network An understanding of who their audience is online as well as techniques for meeting and managing that network ThreeExerting influence and dealing with conflict Techniques to deal with conflict as well as skills to support viral content creation FourWhat happens now? Open discussion of impact of programme and changes needed (for example updated protocols etc. OneCurating your Digital Footprint A comprehensive and manageable online presence

22. Elements of each module:  0.5 / 1 day workshop covering the core theme for that sprint  Follow up coaching calls to bring ‘digital & coproduction’ into councillor’s workflow  121 meetings with officer support  Regular email / online prompts for action Sprint format Each Sprint takes the same format however the first module ideally has time for a longer workshop

23. Who will be involved?

24. Members Different models:  Existing social media leaders  Enthusiastic new comers  Senior members  What degree of party political balance is needed?  Skills set? Different approaches are possible: Officers Different models:  Democratic Services  Communications  Pioneers  ICT

25. Daniel Herrera daniel.herrera@public-i.info Thank you for your time