City Council wins top communications award

A Carlisle City Council campaign to make ‘Carlisle cleaner than ever’ scooped a top communications prize on Wednesday, 28 November.

The 2006/2007 campaign was the overall winner of the CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations) North West Pride Awards Corporate Communications category.

Set in place to promote the introduction of new enviro-laws (the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act) the initial challenge of the campaign 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.

In addition to being the out right winner of the Corporate Communications award, the City Council’s residents magazine, Carlisle Focus, also won a top award. It was awarded a Silver award in the Best Newspaper or Magazine category beating off competition from four other finalists. The Carlisle Focus also received a Certificate of Merit, at the British Association of Communicators in Business, Northern Region Awards, in Bradford last week.

The City Council’s ‘How is my money spent?’ Council Tax leaflet was also one of six finalists in the CIPR Pride Awards, Best Publication category.