City Council wins top communications award

A Carlisle City Council campaign to make ‘Carlisle is cleaner than ever’ has scooped another top communications prize.

The 2007 campaign was given a Silver award in the Environment category at last week’s Local Government Communications Reputation awards (Wednesday, 21 May 2008). The award recognised the ‘effective communication of environmental initiatives’. The City Council was then put forward by the judges to the District award category and received a ‘Commendation’ for the campaign.

The ‘Carlisle is cleaner than ever’ campaign was created to promote the introduction of new enviro-laws (the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act). The initial challenge was to promote education of the new laws before taking enforcement. It took a positive stance and challenged people to take pride in the local environment by keeping Carlisle clean and safe.

The City Council worked alongside local people to tackle anti-social behaviour such as graffiti, litter, dog fouling, fly-tipping and fly-posting. The City Council urged citizens to take pride in their communities and pledge their support.

A range of different promotional and communication methods was used during the education and enforcement campaigns, including media coverage; roadshows; vehicle signage; lamp post stickers; information booklets; posters; postcards; bus advertising; and takeaway stickers.

Smoking debris and litter was seen as a specific problem so mini-keyring portable ashtrays for cigarette butts and chewing gum were distributed at various events and sent out on request.

A short DVD was developed using footage of Carlisle and vox-pops using members of the public, local businesses and partners. This was used in schools ranging from infant to higher education as well as at local neighbourhood forums. A rewards scheme for young people was also developed to encourage them to use litter bins.