MD2300 Talk London Engagement Approach

Talk London is an inclusive, vibrant online community that supports the Mayor and the GLA in placing Londoners’ needs at the centre of its strategies and programmes by involving citizens in meaningful research, debate and consultation about how to improve the capital.

Talk London has 42,000 members, and in the last year has delivered nearly 12,000 responses to consultations on the London Environment Strategy, Housing Strategy, Economic Development Strategy, Skills for Londoners Strategy, and Health Inequalities Strategy via Talk London – at no cost to policy teams.

Community statistics indicate that fewer young Londoners, women, BAME Londoners, and private and social housing renters, currently participate in Talk London. Recently, we undertook research with both members and non-members from our target audiences to understand the issues that matter to them, and attitudes towards active participation and involvement on Talk London.

This research has informed the development of a new engagement and outreach approach that aims to ensure all Londoners, especially those currently underrepresented on Talk London, feel motivated and able to participate.

We trialled this new engagement approach to some success in relation to the Smart London Plan. Our online Tube journey tool, developed to catch Londoners’ attention and engage them on the complex topic of city data, attracted a high number of unique users. It was notable that the proportion of young people who joined Talk London reflected the size of this population at large.

We have demonstrated that the development of compelling, accessible, and highly shareable content has the capacity to drive huge audience reach. Crucially, it also drove participation from some of our target audiences. We now seek approval for funding to support the delivery of our engagement and outreach approach to ensure the Talk London user base better reflects the London population. *

We anticipate this funding would provide resources for approximately five campaigns over a 12-month period. Campaigns would be selected based on their ability to drive participation from our target audiences, and would support high profile Mayoral programmes such as #behindeverygreatcity and the Young Londoners Fund. Campaigns will be approved by the AD for Intelligence in consultation with the Mayoral Director for Policy. Competitive procurement processes will be undertaken to identify digital agencies with the right skills and expertise for the campaigns.

*See breakdown of funding on decision form.

Delivery of four to five campaigns that increases the proportion of our target audiences on Talk London, so that the community better reflects the London population. Target audiences include young Londoners, women, BAME Londoners, and private and social housing renters.

The Greater London Authority has an obligation under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty to consider how its policies and decisions affect people who are protected under the act. Campaigns will be designed to ensure that our community membership is better reflects the London population. Demographic information collected on registration will ensure we are aware who participates in Talk London and act to promote participation to a broad range of Londoners.

Risks and issues: Talk London was established to gather Londoners’ views to help steer important policy decisions. It is therefore important that we reach and engage Londoners from all walks of life in our work. Each campaign will have clearly stated measures of success and will be delivered using agile methodology; optimising efforts to deliver the most effective engagement tactics, user journeys and content to maximise opportunity for recruitment to Talk London and to ensure value for money.

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities: The Mayor has stated that he wants to lead the most engaged, transparent administration seen at City Hall. The Talk London community ensures we allow Londoners to participate in the design, development and delivery of strategies, policies, interventions and services. Campaigns will be selected that support high profile Mayoral programmes.

Impact assessments and consultations: The appropriate procurement processes will be followed to ensure that the successful company complies with the GLA’s equal opportunities requirements. Conducting surveys with a representative sample of Londoners will ensure that the GLA involves a broad constituency of people in our work.

The expenditure of up to £240,000 will be funded from the 2018-19 Director of Communities and Intelligence’s Minor Programmes Budget.

The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

6.1.1 the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the statutory powers of the GLA to do such things as may be considered to further, and or be facilitative of or conducive or incidental to the discharge of its principal purposes; and

6.1.2 in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:

(a) Pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people;
(b) Consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom; and
(c) Consult with appropriate bodies.

In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

To the extent that it is proposed that expenditure is incurred on:

6.3.1 The procurement of works, services or supplies, officers must ensure that the works, services or supplies are procured in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code and that appropriate contract documentation is put in place and executed by the successful bidder(s) and the GLA before the commencement of any works, services or supplies; and/or

6.3.2 Staffing matters, officers must ensure that all necessary GLA HR and related protocols and procedures must be adhered to in this regard.

The Mayor may, under section 38 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, delegate the exercise of the GLA’s functions to the Assistant Director, Intelligence as proposed, should he wish.

Project sponsorship is provided by Dr Nick Bowes. Christine Wingfield (Opinion Research & Statistics) will manage the project, working closely with colleagues from Digital, Marketing and TG.