Merseyside and North Wales Electricity Board Editorial Office: Room 551 Head Office, 5ealand Road, Chester CH1 4LR Tel: Chester (0244) 377111 Internal 2106/7/8 Vol. 38. No.7 JULY 1986 MANWEB Management OUTSTANDING effort by two members of our Liverpool District staft'was rewarded with an outright Conference themes win for Jeff Scott and a commend­ able third place for Katrina Jack , , MUCH more could be done by Area Electricity Boards in the final round of The Electricity to belp the public recognise our industry as efticient, Council Public Speaking Competi­ socially responsible and caring," declared Ray Dafter, the tion held a short time ago in Electricity Council's Central Director for Public and London. Jeff was presented with the Overseas Relations, one of the guest speakers at this year's MANWEB Management Conference. ! PictureQ at Burton Manor College, from left to right: Board Chairman Bryan magnificent "Faraday Shield" Weston, guest speaker Ray Dafter, MANWEB Press and Information Officer trophy, which will remain with Venue for the Conference was the elegant Burton Manor Keith Baldwin and Board Secretary Colin' Leonard our Board for the next 12 months. College, in the village of that name, on the Wirral, just a Ray Dafter should have spoken and he congratulated Board Chairman This is the second consecutive year few miles from Head Office. used to be, foilowing the on the Public Relations theme on Bryan Weston on the speed with which that the top trophy has been The two-day function was progressive streamlining of the second day, but the pressing he had recognised this fact . awarded to a member of the issue of lo~er electricity prices Posing the question "How are we MANWEB staff, Tomos Llewel­ attended by Board manage- the management structure). dictated an after-dinner presenta- perceived by the public?", he said that fryn Davies, from Aberystwyth, ment staff from Head Office There were two main themes-­ tion on the first evening and a it might be easy to be influenced by bringing it home last year. Jeff andDistricts(nowsomewhat "Plan.ni~~, in t~,e ES~-whe:e a~e impressions conveyed by the media, also received a replica of the shield fewer in number than they we.go~ng. and PubllcRelatlOns . hurried return to Millbank. but in the main "news" was the unusual, PnncIpal speaker on the former Ray opened his slide-backed pre- and as far as we were concerned that to keep for himself, and a cheque sentation with the simple statement meant occasions when things went for £150. topic was Terry Boley, Central that, in the past, the industry had not wrong. Our Liverpool team might have PRICES DOWN Director, Corporate Develop­ taken Public Relations sufficiently "done the double", like their foot­ Negotiations which have ment, for the Electricity Council. seriously. Much more cOuld be done, 1111 Continued on page 2 balling namesakes, had it not been for resulted in cheaper power Kate going into "extra time". She blames it on her Liverpool sense of station coal are benefiting humour, saying: "/ put in a couple of customers without delay ICE- SPECTACULAR amusing lines, thinking that they would in the form of lower-cost ships. Steven is the son of Dave raise a titter. The audience, however, electricity. SKATING Cousins, the Board's Liverpool Continued on page 2 Details on page 3 COUSINS District Installation Engineer. SUPPORTING the sporting A 14th birthday treat for Steven Jeff Scott, right, activities held recently to raise was a trip to the "Skate Electric" <l receives the show, where it was arranged for Faraday Shield funds for Africa's needy, a him to meet his famous namesake, from Cyril highly-successful "Skate Elec­ Wickstead, Robin Cousins, a former British competiton tric" Sport-Aid World Ice Primary Champion. chairman and Spectacular was staged at the "/ suppose it is possible that our former in Chairman ofthe National Exhibition Centre families could be related, " com­ Eastern Birmingham. mented Dave. "Our respective Electricity Sponsored by The Electricity fathers both lived in Bristol. / have Board. Council, the event attracted a never really delved into our geneal­ Below: a happy ogy. " Kate Jack glittering galaxy of international skating stars. A host of Olyinpic He told us that his son Steven showed detennination and dedica­ and W orId Champions took tion in aiming for his goal to become part in this unique presentation. an Olympic champion. "He trains A special dispensation from at the local Deeside rink for around the International Skating Union 25 hours every week, starting at six allowed, on this occasion, for in the morning before he goes to professionals and amateurs to school." skate together. • Continued on page 2 Steven and Robin Cousins A few days earlier, another top- Congratulations to Roy Fallows, an installation inspec- , class ice-skating performance was tor in our North Mersey District, who was awarded the achieved when Steven Cousins from Deeside won the title at the St. British Empire Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours Ivel British Primary Champion- .........i ____________ ..L i.,s .. t.__________ .. CONTACT Page2 MINI-EMCONS FOR ALL MANWEB STAFF FIRST in a special series of "MINI provide work for many peopLe--over 5,000 of At the Management Conference, from left to right: Tom Hamilton (Administration Services us in MANWEB for a start!" Manager) with speakers Jim McLennan, Richard Gales, Terry Boley, Doug Willacy, Arthur Ellinson EMCONS"-Energy Marketing and Colin Leonard Conferences-especially prepared He went on to say that when a colleague is assured that electricity is best, then they should 1111 From page 1 Summing up, he said that sales would continue for all members of the MANWEB help to persuade their neighbours and friends. to grow. Investment would increase, manpower staff, was held-at Head Office over " They may even make more friends when they would continue to fall (but more slowly) and a two-day period a short time ago. discover that Economy 7 really is a bargain PUBLIC RELATIONS change would continue. tariff, especially following the recent reduction Mr. Boley'S talk was supported by papers on Engineering, Financial and Secretarial in prices." AND PI!.ANNING various aspects of planning within MANWEB, staff were invited to one of the 9O-minute presented by Board Secretary Colin Leonard, presentations from their Commercial col­ Our Commercial Director made an appeal Scientific market research, however, was a Management Services Manager Arthur Ellinson when he said, "If any member of the Board's leagues. In short, sharp, to-the-point talks staff is still uncertain, they should ask questions much more reliable guide to the real opinions and District Managers Jim McLennan and Doug they explained the MANWEB Corporate Willacy. The delegates then split up into groups of my staff. They will be told the truth and given of the public, and this had proved that the Marketing Strategy and identified the role electricity industry was viewed in a much more to discuss training and District organisation factuaL information on just what good value for favourable light than some public enterprises­ within the Board. that all members of the Board's staff can money eLectricity really is." although gas had a slight edge on us. There was On the second day of the Conference, the play in support of energy marketing. He stressed that he was not trying to tum a need to improve that situation. delegates again split into study groups to consider ,' We must, if we are to achieve further growth every employee into a salesperson, but con­ Many groups of opinion-formers, including public relations in the aftermath of Ray Dafter's in eLectricity sales, increase significantly the sidered that, by knowing more about what the media, politicians, pressure groups and talk. overall effectiveness of our marketing opera­ electricity could do to help our customers, they international bodies, all contributed to public The reports-back made a variety of points, tions, " commented Commercial Director Peter could assist in its promotion. He also said that opinion, and all should be the targets of our but running through them was a call for more Hopkins. " These 'MINI EMCONS' explain the all employees should be aware that for many public relations efforts. He cited co-operation effort, improved motivation and training of challenge we all face as empLoyees of MAN­ applications-heating, cooking, water heating, with the British Medical Association in the staff and, above all, the deployment of more WEB." etc.--customers do have a choice. It was im­ production of the hypothermia film The Bitter resources in the.. drive to improve the public portant therefore to give the highest possible CoLd as an example of what could be done. perception of MANWEB. He told 'CONTACT': "Wholehearted support from every member ofour staff is essential if our standards of service and for us all to be good The Electricity Council's corporate advertising In Qverall charge of the Conference was ambassadors. drive on the theme of "Energy for Life" was Deputy Chairman Richard Gales, welcoming energy marketing teams are to achieve their Similar "MINI EMCONS" are planned for proving to be very valuable, but there was much and introducing the speakers and chairing the targets and help our Board survive against strong competition which will intensify with the privati­ our staff in each of the Board's ten Districts. scope for Area Boards to project themselves as discussion sessions. sation of British Gas. caring and socially responsible bodies, including Winding up at the end, Board Chairman As a final thought-no matter what job we the involvement of staff in the wider aspects of Bryan Weston spoke on two main issues-the "Electricity is the fuel of the future in the do in MANWEB-when the media publishes community life.