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Council Minutes
October 2004
12th October 2004
Community Relations Council
Communications Committee Meeting
Tuesday 12 October 2004, 2.45 pm
Community Relations Council Board Room
Minutes
Present: Eamonn McCartan (Chair), Frances McCandless, Michael Wardlow, Robin Wilson, Malachi O'Doherty, Maureen Hetherington
In attendance: Ray Mullan, Maurna Crozier, Jacqueline Irwin, Jude Hoben
1 Apologies
2 Minutes
The previous meeting's minutes were agreed as a true and accurate record. This was proposed by Ms Mc Candless and seconded by Mr Wilson.
3 Matters Arising
3.1 It was agreed that the meeting would finish at 3.45pm.
3.2 Mr Mullan drew the committee's attention to the CR Week Strategy which he had produced for the meeting.
3.3 Mr Mullan mentioned that there was still room for one more co-opted member of the committee. There was a requirement for committees to have a majority of their members as Council members. As there were now four Council members, the Committee could have one more co-opted member. It was agreed by the committee that the missing skills should be identified. There were a number of suggestions. The Chair stated that an agreed process should be used to recruit new members.
Action
Mr Mullan to identify the skills gaps in the existing committee and come up with a process of picking new members.
4. Media Grant Appeal
4.1 Mr Mullan summarised the media grant appeal as follows:
Mr Stephen Hall (Earth Native Art) was offered a £3,000 grant award to reproduce and distribute 1000 copies of a DVD animation based on the mythology of the Giants Causeway, on the condition that up to 50% of the DVDs should be distributed free among the educational sector. Mr Mullan stated that film and radio productions which were successful in getting media grant funding had to have a broadcasting slot and therefore have a guaranteed audience. In this case of a DVD format there was no broadcast arrangement and conditions to ensure a wide audience had to be imposed. The Community Relations Council Media Grant awarders believed that imposing the conditions outlined was the only way to ensure that the DVD would be circulated widely enough.
Mr Hall rejected the offer and appealed the decision on the grounds of unreasonable conditions.
A Review Panel appointed by the CRC Chair from Council members unconnected with the case examined all the papers and correspondence involved and found against the appellant on the grounds that the conditions imposed by the Grant Awarders were reasonable. The appeal was therefore rejected.
4.2 Mr Mc Cartan raised the question of whether the internal appeal process had been exhausted and whether it was now complete. The Committee was satisfied that it was. The Chair noted that the appellant could appeal through external means should he so desire.
Mr Mc Cartan asked if the committee were all happy with the outcome of the appeal process, as distinct from the decision itself. The committee agreed.
Mr Mullan stated that the appeals process should be standardised across all grant schemes. This was agreed by the Chairman.
Ms Mc Candless asked what other recommendations were made by the review panel. Mr Mullan noted that the panel had also asked that the Council examine the balance between private profit and public interest.
Mr Mc Cartan stated that in order to remain consistent with other Council grant schemes, the question of profit should be examined.
Action
Review the question of profit in Council grant schemes and ensure all appeals processes are standardised throughout Community Relations Council.
5. Publications Grant Scheme
Mr Mullan stated that staff were in the process of discussing and reviewing the purposes and criteria of the Publications grant scheme. The present situation was that there were very few quality applications to the Publications Grant Scheme and there was a significant under spend. Out of 12 applications and enquiries this financial year only 6 were suitable for further consideration. Mr Mullan recommended that the Committee allow staff to resent it with future options for the scheme including a re-assessment of its aims and criteria.
Action
Mr Mullan to present an options paper for the next meeting analysing the issue and suggesting priorities in future use of the grant scheme.
6 Communication Strategy
Mr Mullan informed the committee that, as agreed, a communications audit had been carried out during the summer to determine the views of CRC's key stakeholders about the quality of CRC's communication with them and the development of the most effective future channels of communication. Copies of the audit report were provided to committee members.
The audit was based on postal questionnaires of which 42% were returned. Only media contacts (editors and producers) produced a very low response. Attitudes towards CRC among those responding to the survey were very positive and communication from CRC was seen as reasonably good. There was a clear recommendation from the audit for an improvement in e-mail and face-to-face communication from CRC. These views would be taken into consideration in the development of the communication strategy although it was agreed that there were limits to the Council's organisational capacity to provide greater face-to-face communication and that this needed to be supplemented by other appropriate methods of mass communication.
The general public, as a key stakeholder, was not included in the audit. An Omnibus survey had been considered but was not pursued due largely to cost. Another consideration for not attempting to survey this general audience at this time was that a public advertising campaign had already been organised by the One Small Step Campaign and was due to take place in the New Year. It was felt to be wiser to allow this to happen before attempting any general survey of public opinion.
The committee discussed the audit report at some length.
There was disappointment that media contacts had not responded to the audit and it was agreed that other means would need to be sought to measure attitudes among this audience.
The audit was intended to survey the effectiveness of CRC's communication methods rather than the messages themselves. The next stage was now to develop some pilot material reflecting the agreed key messages in words and images and to allow these to be tested.
There was recognition that the One Small Step advertising campaign could serve the interests of CRC in seeking to influence general public opinion.
Action
Mr Mullan to bring committee's suggestions and comments to senior management and attempt to reflect these in future operational work plans.
Pilot material illustrating key messages to be developed by next meeting if possible.
7.0 AOB
7.1 Community Relations Week evaluation prepared by Mr Mullan will be put on next meeting's agenda. Ms Irwin arrived at this point.
Ms Hetherington and Mr O'Doherty would provide a creative input to an advisory meeting on Community Relations Week.
The meeting closed at 3.45pm. The next meeting will be 8 December at 2 pm.
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