Resources

The Environment Act 2021 is ushering in a raft of new policies that will see local authorities across England make significant changes to the way they collect household waste.

Requirements such as the separate collection of food waste will mean that new services will be introduced, whilst the proposed ‘minimum service standards’ for the collection of household waste will entail changes to many existing services.

Once you have reached this point, by working through this document, you should have prepared and finalised your communications plan and be ready to start delivering your communications.

Monitoring and evaluation is part of a continuous process of learning and improvement that enables you to assess the performance of your communications against your aim and objectives.

This section looks at the process of putting your ideas into a coherent implementation plan and provides you with a mechanism to ensure that all activities are completed on time and within budget.

Your communication methods cover a wide range of individual activities and once you have decided on your overall strategic approach and selected the mix of communication methods to use, you need to look in detail at the communication activities you need to deliver your communication objectives.

The next stage in the communications planning cycle is to agree the overall strategic approach and communication methods most appropriate to achieving your aim and objectives.

Having identified your target audiences and their needs you need to develop your brand and message. This section will help you develop your communications brand and its identity, the tone of voice for your communications and explains how to link to the national Recycle Now campaign brand to get the most out of it. It uses some of the most recent research into people’s barriers to recycling and looks at the implications for messaging.

This section helps you to identify and describe your target audience. There are four main groups to consider:

• Householders - the focus of your communications.
• Internal groups - your staff, senior officers, elected members, other council staff who need to know about your communications plan and may be able to help.
• External groups - such as the media, community groups, other local authorities.
• Specific subgroups – community groups, hard to reach/engage groups, potential partners to help communicate your messages such as caretakers, landlords and housing associations.

This section looks in detail at defining your communications aim and setting your overall objectives.

This section looks at how to develop a situational analysis using the information gathered in Section 2.

This section looks at the information you need to gather to assess your current position and carry out a situational analysis (the next stage of the strategy development process).

• The area and the people living in it – who they are, how old they are, where they live, what types of houses they live in, what their lifestyles are.
• How well they use the local recycling and waste management services.
• What are their barriers to recycling?

A practical guide to improving recycling performance through effective communications with your residents.