Weyside Urban Village - Communication Consultant

Weyside Urban Village ("WUV") is a major 41-hectare brownfield regeneration project that will transform a former utilities and industrial area on the eastern edge of Guildford into a sustainable new community. The Council anticipates that the development could deliver approximately 1,650 homes across a range of tenures, together with around 2,000 square metres of community space and 6,500 square metres of employment space.

The Council's role in the delivery of Weyside is that of master infrastructure developer, taking direct responsibility for the upfront funding, planning, and delivery of the enabling and strategic infrastructure required to unlock land for subsequent housing, employment, and community development. This includes delivery of utilities, highways, flood mitigation, and site remediation works to prepare development plots for onward disposal and construction by delivery partners.

Over the past 5 years, the Council has been progressing with construction of these enabling works including:

• Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace -
• Onsite Infrastructure
• Offsite Infrastructure
• New Thames Water Sewage Treatment Works
• New GBC depot
• Preparation of land parcels for housing delivery (Phases 1 and 3)

The Council is looking to appoint a suitably qualified Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Consultant to lead engagement and communications activity for the Weyside Urban Village project, ensuring that stakeholders are kept informed and involved, and that there are clear opportunities to promote and showcase the outcomes of the programme and how its various elements fit together.

Scope of services/ comms work plan

The successful consultant shall carefully manage this commission ensuring any variations/ changes to scope are provided in writing from GBC to the consultant prior to implementation.

The consultant will:

1. Review the project, the Council's objectives as owner and developer, and the previous planning history of the site.
2. Review the Council's engagement policies and in particular the Statement of Community Involvement.
3. In collaboration with the project team and for approval by GBC's project managers and internal communications team, design a stakeholder and community consultation plan in accordance with the Council's policies.

Undertake the agreed stakeholder and community consultation and regularly advise the project team on the progress and outcomes on implementing that plan including responding to queries and managing communications relating to live construction activities where required.

4. At all times maintain close liaison with GBC's communications team.

General outputs

1. Attend and participate in project team meetings.
2. Develop and manage an appropriate community engagement strategy for agreement with the project team.
3. Take lead in coordinating and preparing community engagement material.
4. Design, coordination and production of promotional material.

Monitor and analyse feedback received. Provide regular summary updates on engagement activity, key issues and upcoming communications priorities.

5. Liaise with contractors and delivery partners to coordinate communications and ensure consistent messaging across the programme.

Stakeholder engagement

1. Prepare and distribute quarterly physical and e-newsletters to residents and local businesses to update on progress of the development
2. Deliver targeted letter drops for residents to notify them of works.
3. Develop a "we said We could... we are doing..." messaging to cover all WUV related matters so that any perceived disconnected activities are understood to be part of a comprehensive package of improvements.
4. Market, coordinate and host public exhibitions and community drop-in events as required, including preparation of materials and summary reporting of attendance and feedback.
5. Quarterly newsletters/ email bulletins for Councillors and articles for staff newsletter.
6. Keep the Weyside Urban Village project website updated and current, including regular updates across key workstreams
7. Support briefing of newly elected Councillors following Shadow Authority elections to West Surrey unitary authority.
8. Support GBC Comms by leading, organising and publicising Ministerial visits, press briefings and ceremonial activity linked to the project. This will include capturing and responding to stakeholder feedback and ensuring key themes are communicated back into the project team where relevant.
9. Scheme promotion and media relations
10. Provide copy for GBC corporate publications, email bulletins etc.
11. Following GBC approval protocols Issue press release to property, planning and local government trade press to raise profile of the project.
12. Work with contractor to prepare joint press-releases as necessary.
13. Support the internal communications team in responding to press and social media enquiries