Key information
Decision type: Assistant Director
Reference code: ADD2003
Date signed:
Executive summary
The Mayor has responsibility for seven statutory strategies. The Greater London Authority (GLA) wishes to undertake research to identify citizen preferences from the Mayor in order to ensure that its communications with Londoners is successfully delivered on this topic.
Decision
That the Head of Finance and Governance approves GLA expenditure of £25,000 for qualitative research services which identifies citizen preferences for communications from the Mayor.
Part 1: Non-confidential facts and advice
1.1 The Mayor has responsibility for seven statutory strategies. When prepared, a statutory duty exists to consult a number of bodies before final publication of the strategies . It is also considered good practice to communicate messages about GLA activity to Londoners and to reflect their views in policy making. There is therefore an opportunity to improve the GLA’s approach to communicating core messages to Londoners so as to encourage them to get involved in the work of the Mayor.
1.2 The GLA wishes to commission 2CV Ltd from the Transport for London Market Research Framework to undertake qualitative research which identifies citizen preferences for communications from the Mayor to ensure that its communications with Londoners is successfully delivered.
Objective
2.1 Via the Transport for London Market Research Framework, to commission 2CV Ltd to deliver a short programme of qualitative research that provides insight as to citizen preferences for communications in relation to the Mayor of London’s statutory strategies and priorities.
Outcomes
2.2 The insight will be used to develop and support the GLA’s communication and outreach plans, and deliver recommendations for creating engaging content around the Mayor’s strategies and priorities.
2.3 Improved communications and engagement with Londoners in relation to the Mayor’s statutory strategies and priorities will ensure that Londoners are aware of the opportunity and benefits of engaging with the GLA’s work.
3.1 The qualitative research will include participation from:
• A broad cross section of the London population; and
• Groups with whom the GLA presently has limited engagement with, including those who are considered ‘hard to reach’.
3.2 This will ensure that City Hall is able to produce communications that appeals to, and enables all Londoners to engage with the work of the Mayor.
a) The risks of opinion research are generally rooted in methodological decisions, in terms of ensuring that a breadth of Londoners’ views are taken into account. The method which the GLA will commission will look at a pan-London sample ensuring that the GLA gets a range of opinions, whilst also including elements that focus on groups which are not currently well engaged in this work.
b) This work links directly to the communication of the Mayor’s statutory strategies by enabling them to be communicated in a way that is engaging to Londoners, thus facilitating engagement of citizens with the development of statutory strategies and priorities.
c) This research will engage a broad range of Londoners in determining how the GLA can best communicate with them around its priorities for the next four years, and as such will support the consultation process around strategy development.
5.1 The anticipated cost of the project is £25,000 and will be funded from the strategies budget code of GF.0701.005 within the Governance Team.
Signed decision document
ADD2003 Developing effective communications - statutory strategies