neil wholey, head of research and customer insight, westminster city council
DESCRIPTION
The public mood Feb 2011TRANSCRIPT
The public attitude
February 2011
Approve of Govt. record - Projections
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
01/0
5/20
10
01/0
6/20
10
01/0
7/20
10
01/0
8/20
10
01/0
9/20
10
01/1
0/20
10
01/1
1/20
10
01/1
2/20
10
01/0
1/20
11
01/0
2/20
11
01/0
3/20
11
01/0
4/20
11
01/0
5/20
11
01/0
6/20
11
01/0
7/20
11
01/0
8/20
11
Approve
Disapprove
Don’t know
Source: c.2,000 GB adults interviewed online. YouGov
Referendum/local elections (5 May 2011)
66% Disapprove
20% Approve
14% Don’t know
Labour government average 2008-2010
General elections (6 May 2011)
The national mood going into 2011
69%
60%
50% 47%
61%54%
42% 41%
Satisfaction withcouncil
Informed aboutservices & benefits
Good value for money Take account ofresidents views
Oct-10
Jan-11
Source: LGinsight/Populus 28-30 January 2011, 1,002 GB adults 18+ interviewed by telephone, compared to 1,003 GB adults 18+ on 1-3 October 2010.
Council rating/benchmark
47%
48%
37%
22%
35%
9%
8%
8%
13%
56%
39%
39%
49%
54%
4%
The amount of money the council receives from government to provide services
The level of council tax you pay
The range of services the council offers
The quality of services the council offers
The value for money you receive from the council for the services it offers
Q: Do you think the following will increase, reduce or stay the same over the next 12 months…
Reduce Stay the same Increase Don’t know
4%
10%
6%
5%
5%
Source: LGinsight/Populus 28-30 January 2011, 1,002 GB adults 18+ interviewed by telephone, compared to 1,003 GB adults 18+ on 1-3 October 2010.
National expectations – October 2010
36%
38%
27%
18%
24%
8%
5%
7%
13%
70%
53%
54%
63%
64%
3%
The amount of money the council receives from government to provide services
The level of council tax you pay
The range of services the council offers
The quality of services the council offers
The value for money you receive from the council for the services it offers
Don’t know
3%
5%
3%
3%
3%
Reduce Stay the same Increase
National expectations – January 2011
Source: LGinsight/Populus 28-30 January 2011. 1,002 GB adults 18+ interviewed by telephone
Q: Do you think the following will increase, reduce or stay the same in the next financial year (April 2011)?
The local authority storm
Calm before the storm
Shelter from the storm
2010
Eye of the storm
Storm passes
2011 2012-13?
Service Satisfaction
41%
25%
9%
5%
32%
42%
32%
15%
4%
9%7%
10%12% 13%
20%23%
10% 11%
31%
47%
Refuse collection Street cleaning Clearing ice andsnow from roads
Clearing ice andsnow frompavements
Very satisfied
Fairly satisfied
Neither satisfied nordissatisfied
Fairly dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Source: LGinsight/Populus 28-30 January 2011. 1,002 GB adults 18+ interviewed by telephone. Don’t knows 1% or less
+51 +43 +10 -50
Net (Satisfied – Dissatisfied)
Most annoying about the snow
Source: 2,002 GB adults, YouGov, December 2010
19%
20%
25%
34%
40%
60%
71%Lack of grit on the roads/ possibility of accidents
Higher energy bills
Disruption to travel plans
Defrosting the car
Choosing the right footwear to handle the icy pavements
School closures
Having to cancel social arrangements
Reaction to snowfall
18%
20%
32%
39%
41%
57%
57%
69%
62%
56%
46%
47%
28%
31%
Get the balance about right
Shut down too readily
Shop and retailers
Trains
Schools
Source: 2,039 GB adults, YouGov, December 2010
Buses
Refuse collections
Doctor’s surgeries
Royal mail
Trust in different people
13%
16%
22%
25%
38%
44%
45%
54%
60%
63%
70%
71%
80%
80%
88%
92%Trust to tell the truth
The Police
TV news readers
Teachers
Doctors
Source: 2,023 GB Adults, Ipsos MORI, September 2009
Professors
Business leaders
Civil Servants
Trade Union Officials
Pollsters
Journalists
Judges
Scientists
Clergymen/Priests
Ordinary man/women in the street
Politicians generally
Government Ministers
Trust in organisations
Preferred ways to receive information
6%
77%
53% 52% 51%
30%
10%13%15%
31%30%
58%
85% 82%
Localnewspaper
Councilpublications
Councilwebsite
Local newswebsite
Spoke tocouncillor
Readcouncil
informationon social
media
Leaflets None ofthese
What currentlysee/read
Preferred ways toreceive info aboutcuts
Source: LGinsight/Populus 28-30 January 2011. 1,002 GB adults 18+ interviewed by telephone
Seen in last 2-3 months / overall preferred ways to receive informationspecifically about budget cuts
Trust in TV and Radio
Research from 7/7Media sources• TV coverage, in particular, BBC and ITV were the primary media. Web news and
web information providers as well as radio were also widely used.
Key messages• The communication of key messages at the time of the London Bombings was
vital. The overwhelming majority of Londoners recognised the key messages of remaining vigilant, united communities and it being ‘business as usual’ in London.
Reassurance• Londoners were most reassured by Sir Iain Blair and the police. Londoners also
found the news coverage from the BBC and ITV reassuring post 7/7.
Aftermath• Londoners displayed anxiety about the London Bombings and significant sections
of Londoners were suffering from disturbing thoughts and memories about the London Bombings.
Lessons learnt from 7/7
• Communications from the frontline are very important for public reassurance
• A multi-media approach is required to generate the widest coverage of the public. However, in an emergency, television news is the critical medium in terms of reaching and reassuring the public.
• By choosing appropriate key messages which made sense to the public, communicators were able to engage the public with what support public agencies were looking for from the public.
• Significant levels of anxiety post 7/7 meant communications were required to support those feeling anxious after the bombings.
Lessons from 9/11• Americans rallied around their
neighbours rather than America, fearing those not part of their community
• Greater fear about personal safety
• High exposure to media resulted in higher concern
• A slight increase in civic engagement, with an increase in volunteering among those who already volunteer
What is the impact of social media?
Key lessons• When a crisis happens people will turn to:
• BBC• Officials who should know what’s going on• Their neighbours/community• Social media
•Three possible official messages: • Stay calm and carry on• How you can make yourself safe• What you can do to help (a neglected message?)
• Will you get a four minute warning? • 2005 – Tavenstock Sq bus bomb – 1 hour after the three bombs on the tube. Grainy mobile videos appear later• 2011 – instant Twitter/YouTube/Sky/BBC/global coverage
Conclusions going into 2011• Government increasingly unpopular and public trust declining. The most likely crisis is one of lack of confidence in public officials to run services well• As with a terrorist incident people will turn to the BBC and their community – making local media even more important – but they could also be stirred into action to help their community• There will be demands for information on what changes mean for individuals. This will be provided by those who respond the quickest with the clearest arguments and turn the crisis into a turning point in defining their leadership
Thank you
ContactNeil WholeyHead of Research and Customer Insight @ Westminster City CouncilChair of LGinsight
020 7641 [email protected]: @neilwholey