Committee: Policy and Resources Date: 22 January 2015

Subject: Public Public Relations Office Activities Report: October-December 2014 Report of: For Information Director of Public Relations

Summary This report updates Members on Public Relations Office activities since the report submitted to your Committee in October 2014. Activities in this report relate to the Communications Strategy 2014- 2017 and Public Relations Office Business Plan 2014- 2017; it covers the period October to December 2014.

Recommendation The Committee is recommended to receive this report on Public Relations Office activities during the period October to December 2014.

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report highlights the activities undertaken by the PR Office in the period October to December 2014, in support of the organisation‟s medium-term communications objectives, as detailed respectively in the Communications Strategy 2014-2017 and the Public Relations Office Business Plan, as well as new or enhanced areas of work not necessarily covered by the Strategy.

1.2 Media coverage

Throughout this quarter, there were 1,410 City Corporation stories in the UK print media; by comparison, from 1 July - 30 September 2014, there were 881 City Corporation stories in the UK print media. In the last equivalent quarter, 1 October – 31 December 2014, there were 794 City Corporation stories in the UK print media.

1.3 Work on new/social media

During this quarter, the PR Office has continued to produce a number of videos, focusing on the breadth of services provided by the City Corporation and other key strategic objectives, such as highlighting the City Corporation‟s work in partnership with London‟s communities. More than 200 videos about the City Corporation are now available to view; the corporate Twitter feed now has over 15,000 followers.

1.4 Political Contact Programme

The period since the last report has seen considerable activity on the political contact programme. The City Corporation has engaged with relevant politicians on issues including financial services, business visas, the UK‟s relationship with the European Union, skills transport and education.

The City Corporation has had meetings, or hosted roundtable discussions, with the Skills Minister Nick Boles, the Financial Secretary David Gauke, the Immigration Minister James Brokenshire, the Deputy Leader of the House of Coomons Tom Brake, the then Shadow Transport Secretary , the Shadow Police Minister and the Shadow Employment Minister .

Future activity is scheduled with the Shadow Chancellor , the Trade Minister Lord Livingstone, the Enterprise Minister Matt Hancock and the Shadow Europe Minister Pat McFadden. There will then follow a quiet period prior to the General Election.

1.5 City worker voter registration

At the end of the 2014 registration process the total provisional number of registered voters appointed by City firms is 13,855 from 3,612 firms (this includes the “carry-forward” of those who registered in 2013, but did not submit a registration this year). 269 more firms and 558 more voters were actually registered this year compared to the previous year.

However there was an overall decline in the number of voters and firms due to the decline in the number of “carried forward” voters. As it will be necessary to discontinue the “carry forward” process as a result of legal changes, it is useful to note that the “carry forward” for 2013 was 4026 voters (26% of total registrations), but in 2014 it was just 2114 voters (15% of total registrations).

1.6 Publishing

The latest edition of Cityview magazine was distributed in December and the next edition is due in June. The next issue of City Resident is due to be published in February, including the four page City Police Talkback insert. The ward newsletters were distributed in December with the two wards facing Aldermanic elections during the production period to be offered an edition following the election results. This year‟s Lord Mayor‟s biography is now available. At the time of writing, design was underway on this year‟s overviews of the City Corporation‟s three sets of published accounts.

2.0 SUPPORTING AND PROMOTING THE CITY AS THE WORLD LEADER IN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES 2.1 Activity associated with this communications priority has included events with the the Financial Secretary David Gauke, the Immigration Minister James Brokenshire and the then Shadow Transport Secretary Mary Creagh. Future activity is planned with the Trade Minister Lord Livingston, the Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and the Shadow Europe Minister Pat McFadden.

2.2 The December edition of Cityview included a spread on the work of the Economic Development Office‟s Research team. The Lord Mayor/Policy Chairman‟s CityAM Monday columns are posted on the corporate Facebook page.

2.3 Media coverage in this area included:

 The Times ran an exclusive interview on the day of the Lord Mayor‟s Show with Lord Mayor and the Financial Times ran an article on his taking up office as Lord Mayor.

 BBC London News covered the Silent Ceremony and interviewed Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow on his plans for the year, the role of financial services and Europe.

 Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow interviewed in on his India visit and his objectives for the year.

 Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow spoke to FT on the importance of the EU for UK business.

 The Wall Street Journal ran an interview with Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow focussing on his defence of the City‟s reputation. This interview was also covered in Financial News.

 The Liverpool Echo covered Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow‟s visit to Liverpool in November.  The Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow was interviewed for BBC London News on whether a cultural change in banks will take a generation.

 A letter from Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow on the fines issued for foreign exchange rigging was published in the FT.

 Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow‟s visit to India was covered in the Economic Times, Hindu Business Line and Business Standard in India

 Lord Mayor ‟s visit to China was covered by People’s Daily, Xinhua, Insurance News Net, China daily, Singtao Daily, China Business News, People’s Daily, Shanghai Daily, China News, China Securities News, People’s Daily, Oushinet, The Economic Observer and World News Report.

 Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf‟s visit to Vietnam was covered by Vietnam Plus, Vietnam Net, The Voice of Vietnam, Talk Vietnam, Hanoi Times, and Nguyen Tan Dung.

 Policy Chairman Mark Boleat was quoted in the Times and Daily Telegraph on the City‟s reaction to an ECJ ruling on the bank bonus cap.

 Policy Chairman Mark Boleat was quoted on the front page of City AM on the publication of a report into the tax contribution by the financial services sector. This was also covered online by Bloomberg.

 Policy Chairman Mark Boleat was quoted in the City of London‟s report into London‟s finances which was covered in City A.M. and the Daily Telegraph.

 The City of London Corporation‟s campaign to improve broadband access to small businesses was featured in the FT with the Policy Chairman Mark Boleat quoted. The story also featured in Computer Weekly.

 Policy Chairman Mark Boleat was quoted in a story in the Daily Telegraph on the huge potential dangers of cybercrime.

 Policy Chairman Mark Boleat was quoted in an FT article in response the public‟s perception that another financial crash is imminent.

 Adrian Leppard, Commissioner of the City of London Police, had an opinion piece in the Daily Mail saying that UK needs a national fraud and cyber-crime campaign “as big as drink driving.”

 City of London Police Commissioner Adrian Leppard was interviewed in the Evening Standard saying that banks should be forced by law to report frauds suffered by customers.

3.0 COMMUNICATIONS PRIORITY: WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP LONDON’S COMMUNITIES 3.1 In the previous quarter, events associated with this communications priority have included a visit to the Southwark City Academy by the Skills Minister Nick Boles, a panel discussion with the Shadow Employment Minister Stephen Timms and a seminar and private dinner discussion on Housing with the Centre for London.

3.2 Work has begun on a publication covering the Working Together case studies hosted on the website. This will feature efforts across many London boroughs and also the delivery organisations used by the City Corporation to facilitate this work. Once published it is planned to send the publication to Parliamentarians, borough councillors, leaders and officials, as appropriate.

3.3 Work continues on better joined-up working between those creating content for the website and those doing the same through social media. A meeting is to be organised early in January using the website cluster composer network to plan for the next year and build initial comms work around the major campaigns planned for each area.

3.4.1 The Media Team has created a bank of approximately 30 case studies to illustrate how the projects supported by the City Corporation help to change the lives of Londoners, especially in the area of education and skills development. The first case studies were issued in June and are also being used internally for briefing spokespeople.

3.5 Media coverage for this communications priority included:

 Daily Telegraph featured an opinion article from Policy Chairman Mark Boleat on the role businesses need to play in developing young peoples‟ skills.  Guardian Sustainable Business featured an opinion article from Policy Chairman Mark Boleat on the latest Social Mobility and Poverty Commission Report, and how businesses can help level the playing field in the search for talent.

 BBC London Radio 97.9 interviewed Chairman of City Trust Jeremy Mayhew on youth unemployment figures and recent grant to the Prince‟s Trust.

 New Statesman featured opinion article from Policy Chairman Mark Boleat on the skills gap and the need to devolve skills funding to local government.

 The Financial Times published a letter from Policy Chairman Mark Boleat in response to CBI and TUC interview on how to reduce the skills gap.

 The MJ featured an opinion article from Policy Chairman Mark Boleat on the need for local leadership in addressing skills provision.

 The Islington Gazette featured a story on a City Bridge Trust grant to Choices Islington.

 The Evening Standard featured a story about the City of London Business Traineeship Awards 2014 and the how paid internships can prevent elitism in the workplace.

 A City Bridge Trust grant to youth food growing charity Sonshine was featured in Horticulture Week.

 Late Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf wrote about the Lord Mayor‟s Dragon Awards and Corporate Social Responsibility in her City AM column.

 An article about The Lord Mayor‟s Dragon Awards and CSR in the workplace was featured in the Evening Standard

4.0 COMMUNICATIONS PRIORITY: HELPING TO LOOK AFTER LONDON’S HERITAGE AND GREEN SPACES 4.1 The highlight of activity in this area during this period was a major lecture A Changing Magna Carta: Present, Pasts - and Futures?" by Professor Linda Colley which examined the changing meanings of Magna Carta over the centuries and what it may mean in the future. Further Magna Carta related activities are planned for the New Year. 4.2 A „fact card‟ is being devised using infographics based around the statistics of the organisation‟s involvement in the areas of culture, heritage and green spaces based on the information supplied for the performance summaries. The December edition of Cityview magazine included a spread on the Guildhall Galleries (the Art Gallery, Great Hall, St Lawrence Jewry and Guildhall Library) along with the regular features on the Barbican and Museum of London.

4.3 Media coverage for this communications priority included:

 BBC 1 covered the Lord Mayor‟s Show live with a peak audience of around 3 million.

 The Sunday Telegraph ran a major feature on the Mayoralty, featuring five former Lord Mayors. Sir Michael Bear, Sir John Stuttard, Sir , Sir David Brewer and Sir were interviewed. Lord Mayor Alan Yarrow and Late Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf were quoted

 Geoff Pick, Director of the London Metropolitan Archives, was interviewed in The Times in an article on the Magna Carta and the Lord Mayor‟s Show and BBC London ran a piece on the City of London Corporation‟s 1297 Magna Carta, which featured in this year‟s Lord Mayor‟s Show.

 Lord Mayor‟s Show Pageantmaster Dominic Reid was interviewed on BBC London 94.9‟s Robert Elms Show [skip to 12:20]. Further coverage appeared in the Daily Mail, City AM, ITV News London, ITV News London and the Evening Standard.

 Lord Mayor Elect Alderman Alan Yarrow was pictured in and the Independent [viewable internally only] the Lord Mayor‟s Show Early Morning Rehearsal. The Lord Mayor Elect and Pageantmaster Dominic Reid were interviewed on ITV News London in a major feature on the dawn rehearsal – a broadcast exclusive. City AM also ran a full page feature on page two and further coverage appeared in The Londonist.

 Coverage of Morgan Freeman‟s Freedom of the City of London appeared in The Times and The Daily Express. Sir Ian McKellen‟s Freedom was covered in ITV News, the Independent, the Daily Express, and City AM.

 The Guardian ran a page 3 feature on the negative effects of foraging in Epping Forest. Epping Forest Head of Conservation Jeremy Dagley and Director of Open Space Sue were interviewed. Sue Ireland was also interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Farming today and BBC London 94.9 Breakfast Show with Penny & Paul [links not available].

 The Wall Street Journal spoke to Senior Epping Forest Keeper Nick Baker and Epping Forest Head of Conservation Manager Jeremy Dagley in an article on the negative effects of fungi foraging in the ancient Woodland. The Daily Mail also ran a story on fungi foraging, quoting Jeremy Dagley.

 The City‟s Media Team has negotiated a new monthly column in the Epping Forest Guardian series called „Nature Notes‟, by Epping Forest Head of Conservation Manager Jeremy Dagley.

 Hampstead Heath Superintendent Bob Warnock was interviewed on BBC London TV News and in the Evening Standard, Ham&High, Camden New Journal and Horticulture Week after a legal challenge failed to halt the Hampstead Heath Ponds Project in the Royal Courts of Justice.

 The Burnham Advertiser and the Slough & South Bucks Observer both ran stories on the introduction of dog control orders at Burnham Beeches.

 The Daily Telegraph published a letter from Port Health & Environmental Services Chairman Wendy Mead on the City response to the Mayor of Paris‟s plan to ban diesel cars by 2020. Air Quality News subsequently ran a story on the City‟s position. The Evening Standard also ran a letter from Port Health & Environmental Services Deputy Chairman John Tomlinson in response to an Environmental Audit Committee report on UK air pollution.

6.0 OTHER PRO ACTIVITIES/UPDATES 6.1 ‘Embedding Communications’

The Director of PR organised individual meetings from May-October with Chief Officers across the City Corporation to discuss how to improve the delivery of communications in individual departmental Business Plans and the Communications Strategy 2014-17. A progress report was tabled to Chief Officers‟ Group on 12 November, 2014, which included a number of recommendations which were agreed.

6.2 Online

The PR Office has been working with Communities & Children‟s Services on improving their website cluster content in advance of an Ofsted inspection. The Customer Carewords project has been set up in conjunction with the broader Customer Services work run by the IS Division to focus website content and effort in those areas most wanted by users. This work has included canvassing the views of users and findings and recommendations are expected early in the new year. The corporate Facebook page is now the most popular City Corporation page and is slanting content more towards businesses and City workers, with recent popular postings being the Lord Mayor‟s Show, the new Tower Bridge walkway and Leadenhall Market Christmas lights being switched on.

6.3 Events

AIMA conference 07.10.14

The City of London hosted the annual Alternative Investment Management Association in October 2014. Over 300 senior hedge fund industry figures drawn from hedge fund managers, prime brokers, legal and accounting services and investors gathered in the Guildhall to discuss the current key issues facing their sector. The City also hosted the pre- conference dinner at Guildhall for speakers and sponsor contacts.

Centre for London debate 17.11.14

The Debate provided a platform for discussion about what London should be looking for from a new national government and what a new government should be looking for from London. With London set to grow by a million people in the next decade, speakers responded to the question whether London needs new powers to meet the challenges ahead. Panelists included Dr Gerard Lyons (Economic Advisor to the Mayor of London, MP (Shadow Minister for London), Professor Tony Travers (London School of Economics) and Sir Peter Bazalgette (Chair of the Arts Council).

All members and Chief Officers were invited and the Chairman of Policy hosted a drinks reception in the Print Room for the speakers after the event. 6.4 Filming

Statistics up to mid December show that the amount of filming taking place in the City this calendar year has increased by approximately 10% on 2013. This is despite Film London‟s forecast of an overall drop in filming days in London as a whole this year. Mission Impossible, starring Tom Cruise, has filmed large scenes in the City this quarter; Criminal, starring Kevin Costner and Ryan Renolds have filmed several days, and Suffragette, starring Helena Bonham-Carter, Meryl Street and Carey Mulligan has returned. The new James Bond film is currently scouting Corporation locations with a view to filming next year.

6.5 Internal communications

The PR Office continues to coordinate internal communications activities across the City Corporation. This has included continuing communications around the Service Based Reviews, assisting HR with Learning & Development Week, the regular Members Briefing.

6.6 Database

The voter registration process has now been completed with more businesses and voters newly registered than in the previous year (see para 1.5 above). For the first time certain firms have had the option to use online registration. The annual City Occupiers ward suveys will start in the New Year.

6.7 Think tank engagement The City Corporation has engaged with a wide range of think tanks during this period. These have included the IPPR, Politieia, NLGN, the Institute of Economic Affairs, the Centre for European Reform and Centre for London.

7.0 PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND BUDGET 7.1 The PR Office continues to work closely with the Economic Development Office, the Remembrancer‟s Department and Mansion House, as well as other Departments across the organisation, to ensure successful improved coordination of work. In addition, the PR Office works closely with EDO and Remembrancer‟s Department on political developments in the UK and EU, and their impact on the City. 7.2 The table below shows a comparison of revenue budget for the Public Relations Office (Local Risk) with actual income and expenditure for the period October to December 2014.

Approved Budget Budget for Actual Variance PR Office 2014/15 (£) Period (£) (£) (£)

Total Net Income and £2,410,000 £602,500 £626,000 £23,500 expenditure

Background Papers: Members will find it useful to refer to the Communications Strategy 2014-2017 and Public Relations Office Business Plan 2014-2017.

Contact: Tony Halmos Director of Public Relations [email protected] 020 7332 1450