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  • Alder Grange: Top Class Results
  • Maysand: Power behind the stone
  • Architect Your Home: The plan
  • Mulderrigs: A national campaign
  • Hurstwood: Building a proflie
  • Jack Ross: City image adds up
  • Bolton Wanderers: Team players
  • Sean Ruane: Headline act
  • Hyndburn Life: Partnership role
  • Community and Business Partners
  • Jo Tabiner: Start up success
  • Reebok years brought to book

• Alder Grange: Top Class Results

  

  

  Project: Alder Grange Community and Technology School in Rossendale has been selected to establish a sixth form by the Government and it has secured £8 million funding for the project.
  
  We were asked to help the passage of the Alder Grange application for a new sixth form building through the planning process because, although the school had established a firm education case, the news that it would be expanding was under threat due to a 'no campaign' from objectors led by local residents, the Civic Trust and county councillors.
  
  The objectors were well organised and had used the consultation meetings to gain press coverage to highlight their concerns. As well as taking their case to the newspapers, they were also actively lobbying against the scheme. Their aim was to hold up the plans.
  
  Objectives: The aim was to help counter some of the negative publicity, ensure the main purpose of the sixth form was reinforced and, ultimately, to help ensure there was a positive outcome when the application came before the planning committee.
  
  Strategy: Local opposition from residents centred on the traffic and parking issues that existed near to the school. The focus of their argument was they feared the situation would be made worse by the new building and extra pupils it would attract.
  
  The original plans had been significantly amended, not only to manage any additional traffic and parking issues but to alleviate to the greatest possible extent many existing difficulties, especially those which caused so much concern at the beginning and end of the school day.

  On the positive side, the school was getting good indications from planning and highways officials as it submitted reworked schemes.
  
  We decided to make use of all media and communications tools and techniques to ensure our message was heard loud and clear.
  
  Our aim was to shift the focus of debate back from the traffic issues to the students and on to the positive benefits to the community that the sixth form would bring.
  
  To ensure this worked, we decided our main speaker at the planning meeting would be one of the pupils, who — should the plans be approved - would be among the first intake at the sixth form. We worked with her ahead of the planning meeting to ensure her pitch to the councillors was confident, clear and, most importantly, contained the right mix of messages.
  
  They said: In July 2009 it became apparent there was significant objection to the planning application from local residents on traffic issues. The school attempted to appease the concerns, but with limited success, and concerns grew that the application would be rejected. Alder Grange commissioned Viva some six weeks before the planning application was to be determined, to conduct a lobbying and PR campaign.
   
  Within 24 hours of the commissioning meeting, Viva had prepared a strategy document for the campaign. This accurately and concisely summarised the issues, current position and likely threats, and contained a detailed plan for suggested activities. We were impressed by the clarity of the document, and the extent to which it clearly addressed the issues. The company implemented the agreed action plan swiftly and highly effectively. Lobbying of local councillors, county councillors and local officers took place very quickly, to assess perceptions and gauge support. Documentation was produced to dispel misconceptions and clarify the issues, which was easy to understand and very clearly focused.
   
  During the commission, staff at Viva were very responsive, and easily contactable. Issues raised were addressed very quickly, with update communications following immediately afterwards.  It was enormously reassuring to know what action had been taken, and the immediate effects of this.  As a school, we are enormously impressed by the quality of the work done by Viva.  At all times the staff have been highly professional, respecting sensitive or confidential situations, and have given a highly effective service.  Their advice has proved to be 'bang on the money' every time, for example by advising the school to take pre-emptive action which resulted in turning potentially negative press interest into a very positive news item.
   
  Of course, the effectiveness of any campaign is measured by the delivery of its outcomes.  The planning decision was carried unanimously in our favour, with no significant planning conditions attached. This would not have been possible without the work of Viva. The school and its' pupils are immensely grateful to Viva for their work.
   
  David Hampson
  Head of School
  Alder Grange Community & Technology School