Corporate Communications Policy.

1. South Hams District Council acknowledges that good communication is fundamental to the effective delivery of its services.
2. We will apply our definition of good communication to all written, oral, visual and behavioural acts by the Council, its staff and its Members. This includes communication between staff.
3. We define good communication as:

• a two-way process for giving and receiving information efficiently and effectively

• addressing our audience in whatever way they find most appropriate and easy to understand

• using plain English principles, which means avoiding jargon, baffling, complicated or officious language, and long sentences

• listening carefully, exchanging information, and improving mutual understanding

• building lasting relationships with the people and organisations affected by our work

4. The way we communicate must ensure our policies, strategies and working practices are easy to understand and seen to
be fair.

5. The way we communicate must show our employees to be professional, diligent, fair, and accountable.
6. We will regularly ask for people’s opinion on our policies, strategies and the way we work. We will use the information they give us to do a better job.
7. We will adopt a ‘house style’ guide to be used for all written material, including letters, produced by the Council.
8. The way we communicate will reflect the Council’s legal and moral responsibilities in areas such as human rights, equal opportunities, health and safety.
9. The Council’s internal communications structure will reflect our definition of good communication.
10. Members of the Council’s corporate management team (CMT) are responsible for ensuring this policy is implemented within their teams. They must show their staff how to use the principles of good communication to improve their work.
11. Managers must ensure their staff are fully aware of our internal communication facilities, including our house style when published, and make sure they use them.
12. All our plans and strategies, such as our annual service plans, will include steps to improve communications.
13. We will assess the internal and external communication skills of our staff, including managers, as part of their annual appraisal and development process.