Social Networking & Participation

in Local Government

Opportunity and Challenge

Carl HaggertyDevon County Council

What I’ll cover…

• Brief Introduction

• The context for local councils

• The opportunity

• The challenge

Context for Local Councils

• Public Sector Finance– Dramatic reduction/cuts in budgets– Staff reductions– Property Reductions

• Increasing pressure from public – Deliver more for less– Social inclusion and participation

• Consumerisation– Speed and access to information– People to People networks

Time for Transformational Change…

The Opportunity

• The big question facing ALL councils right now is.

"Will this eat up my time and make me less productive, or make things more efficient?"

Potential Uses

Survey by SocITM of Public Sector IT Managers - 2009

Improving Communication

• Empowering and involving • Mobile and real time• Internal and External• PR and reputation management

Knowledge Sharing

• NOT knowledge management• eLearning and professional development

– Informal– Formal

• Ideas management• People Finder/Staff Directory

Enhancing Democracy

• Collaborative action• ePetitions and Campaigning• Real time election updates• Reaching disengaged audiences (young people)

Building Communities

• A sense of place• Reconnecting neighbourhoods• Connecting People to People• Fostering active involvement

The challenges

• The big question here is?

“With all the opportunities these new tools present, why isn’t everyone using them?"

Risk, Relevance, Reputation

• Social web in still immature• Digital Inclusion Challenge• Blocked access < this is really a lack of good management

• Information Security • Web might be cheaper but you still need

people to engage and participate• 24/7 expectation management

Getting Personal

• Who am I?– CarlHaggerty – Carl@DCC– DevonCC-Carl???

• Training, awareness and guidance• Lessons from the past

Organisational

• The “social organisation” challenge• Challenging hierarchy• Culture change• Recruitment and retention of staff• Performance Management

– Manage People not Technology

Political

• Online Civic Spaces• What about Elected Officials?• Citizens have a louder voice• Citizens have a direct route to service planning

and budget setting

Final thoughts

• Poor performers will be amplified by Social Media tools

• It’s not about marketing or communications, it’s about organisational change

• Public sector is under increasing pressure to reduce costs and innovate

• Successful organisations will adapt

Thank you

• Twitter: @carlhaggerty• Blog: http://carlhaggerty.wordpress.com• Email: carl.haggerty@devon.gov.uk