Tory local government leaders disagree on new LGA ad campaign

The BBC is reporting that the Local Government Association is embarking on a major advertising campaign to promote the work of local authorities.  The campaign is defended by the Chairman of the LGA, Sir Simon Milton:

"Most people just think that the council collects the bins and they haven't the faintest clue of the vast range of services that town halls provide.  From archaeology to zoology, from cradle to grave, councils provide over 800 services to improve people's lives and help them get safe and sound through the day."

But Sir Simon - former leader of Westminster Council and now a key adviser to Boris Johnson - is not backed up by Eric Pickles MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Local Government:

“This is a damning portrait of Gordon Brown's Britain. Binge-drinking is spiralling out of control and our streets are littered with mountains of rubbish. Council tax has doubled, yet frontline services have been brutally cut back.  People will be offended that not only is taxpayers' cash being wasted on this propaganda but also that such disgusting images are being used.”

We can't find how much these ads will cost.  A selection are posted below:

 

Comments

[David (One of many)]

The Pickles is right on this one. It's a sad reflection of the way things are that councils have to boast about cleaning up chav vomit. They do it from the wrong angle, too. These posters say 'cause problems, and the council will deal with it, no biggie', whereas the actual message should be 'if you stop vomiting on the pavement or letting your dogs crap on it, your council tax might be a bit lower'.

[bluepatriot]

I'm with Sir Simon M on this one.
Nobody knows what local govt does.
A (shocking) campaign will at least get a debate going.

[Cllr. Paul Kennedy]

Somehow doubt if Council Tax will ever be lower, it might be that it won't rise as much....or hopefully at all.

Must admit I don't like shock tactic campaigns such as the one suggested, but welcome publicity to emphasise the diverse range of services Local Authorities provide....and maybe a breakdown of the cost of them.

[Cllr Greg Smith]

There's nothing wrong with shock advertising. The problem with this particular campaign is that it seems to normalise bad behaviour, as if to say, "it doesn't matter if you vomit all over the street, or let your dog crap on the pavements - the Council will happily clean up after you."

The money on this sort of advertising would be better spent tackling the problems these ads, probably unintentionally, make acceptable.

[Cllr Greg Smith]

In response to Cllr Paul Kennedy's comment "I doubt Council Tax will ever be lower" - I totally diagree. See the Hammersmith & Fulham example - where we have cut Council Tax by 3% two years running, whilst increasing resident satisfaction ratings.

[StevenAdams]

There is one obvious problem with this: that Simon Milton and Eric Pickles seem not to have spoken on the matter... it'd be handy to not have frontbench MPs slamming leading local govt figures... was Pickles caught off guard, unknowingly insulting Milton, or was this a knowing condemnation?

[bluepatriot]

StevenAdams poses a sensible question. Perhaps Tim and Sam could enquire...

[Praguetory]

This campaign has to be satire. Forgive me for being shocked. Try this one.

"My council are mugs".

[Rod Sellers]

An appalling concept for an Ad campaign - the people who actually pay Council Tax will be disgusted - those who don't will not give a toss !! Is the aim to try and mobilise hostility from the former to the latter.

A bad idea even for the Amy Winehouse generation.

[David Cooper]

Surely there is no need in principle for councils to advertise at all? It is not as if they are in competition with others providing a similar product and trying to persuade potential buyers that theirs is better value for quality or for price. Their services are financed via coercion - pay your council tax or go to prison - and with all due respect to Sir Simon, it is very easy for council tax payers to obtain "the faintest clue of the vast range of services that town halls provide" if they choose to read the leaflets that accompany their annual council tax demand. This could be a good one for Harry Phibbs to add to his list: "how much if any of our council's income is to be squandered on unnecessary advertising"?

[cty cllr gareth dadd]

For my two penneth why wont those involved in Local Government, and I am one of them, recognise that Councils belong to the people and I am sure that this type of propeganda will do nothing to improve fromt line services. Quite frankly the marketing should come from Councillors and word of mouth is still the best advertising medium possible!
Everything that motivates me centres around improvement and added value-this does neither. Of what benefit will this bring to the good work that my Authority does on behalf of my electorate? Sock it to them Eric!

[TrevorH]

This is a pathetic advertising campaign.

Does it cost homes 1000 quid a year to clear up vomit?

I'll clear up my own vomit and shit for free if I can be excused Council tax. As for emptying bins - councils are doing their damnedest to charge extra for all that.

And indeed whyb do councils need to advertise? Are there alternatives for us to choose from? the more I think of it the worse this thing looks.

My advice to Boris is to sack his advisor - its what I call a litmus test and this Sir Simon bloke whoever he is has just failed it.

[TrevorH]

Ah - the examples shown all push the environmental health angle. These are the modern version of Orwell's 'Thought Police'.

I feel a 2 minute hate coming on.

[RW]

These grotesque images all say, in effect: "There you are. Go ahead, crap and puke in the streets, indulge yourselves just as you like: those dumb losers who pay council tax will be happy to clear up the mess".

Is that the message that a responsible council wants to promote?

[Matt Wright]

Breakdown of costs is key to get across. How many of us have encountered that classic line on the doorstep "....they only collect my rubbish and thats not done very well...". When you explain the two biggest costs are educating children and looking after the elderly, most people actually look amazed and invariably just don't know what to say. People honestly don't understand what councils do and how they operate. Invariably they have no conception of the difference between members and officers either. When you further explain that in addition to a few main cost items, that much of the money is from the Govt not from council tax, they are even more astonished. The adverts are not very nice but maybe there should be thought about how we get across to people that when they drop litter, wreck facilities etc, its actually them and their community that pays not some nebulous magical body unconnected to the community.

[Prentiz]

People will be offended that not only is taxpayers' cash being wasted on this propaganda but also that such disgusting images are being used.

Whilst the ad campaign is probably not the best I've ever seen, it's a real shame that Eric feels the need to intervene and to score points by attacking Conservative-run local government. This is very hard to square with either a real commitment to localism or with the work that many Conservatives in local Government do to support the national party. Teamwork cuts both ways.

[Mr Angry]

Yet more proof that Simon Milton has gone totally native and believes that he is some super Council Officer.

Eric Pickles is completely right on this, it is a dreadful waste of taxpayer's money, and Simon Milton needs to remember that he is supposed to be a Tory and a politician.

[David Eyles]

At a time when many councils are manifestly misspending our money - whether from central government or not - these adverts are a waste of taxpayers money and, as pointed out by others, are prone to misinterpretation. Many have been getting a very bad press because of their use of surveillance on ordinary people for miniscule offences. Furthermore, just how many cases of food poisoning were reported last year from commercial premises? I have a suspicion that if these figure were exposed, there would be little comfort for the public in the "Romantic meal" photo.

Instead of spending our money on self justification, the LGA should concentrate on improving the quality of its members and saving money by cutting out uneccessary jobs.

[Cllr Tony Sharp]

Prentiz - Whilst the ad campaign is probably not the best I've ever seen, it's a real shame that Eric feels the need to intervene and to score points by attacking Conservative-run local government.

Something to remember is that ordinary elected Conservative members of Councils do not get consulted on this kind of stuff. The LGA cannot be described as Conservative.

[Jayk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkxVegST9tA

[Mr Ed]

Who cares about the pictures. Judging by all the coverage and comments it seems they got it spot on! People talking about it which is the base of any campaign. Regarding the Pickles and Milton not talking issue, I'm afraid things never change. The Party don't want to enagage Local Govt. All they want is Daily Mail headlines and knee jerk reactions to woo the gutter press. But thne being 20 points ahead in the polls I guess they feel they don't need local government propping them up anymore.

[Jennifer Wells]

What was Sir Simon thinking of!@£)?

[Al Gunn]

Distasteful. I'm not convinced that the campaign is highlighting the more impressive side of local government.

If local government's best bet is to brag about cleaning up faeces, vomit and going rat hunting at local restaurants...

[johnC]

How about a new one: 'My council doesn't waste money on puerile, offensive and trivial advertising campaigns.'

or perhaps: 'My council has cancelled its membership of the LGA rather than be associated with such disgusting images.'

Per the LGA website, this campaign is to 'repair the image problem' which councils face. It's more likely to create one.

http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=762428

[Council Officer]

Our "Communications and Customer Service" Department is busy pouring out patronising drivel just like this. Despite the fact that it is universally derided both outside and in the farce continues in order to meet "communications performance indicators". And their 'market research' shows that 75% of the public approve of it !!
Head in the sand or what ??

[Bromley Blue]

I am so pleased my Council isn't a member of the LGA, and so we aren't paying subscriptions to fund this sort of rubbish.