WRSE appoints Create 51 for regional plan documentation work
Strategic communication consultancy Create 51 has been awarded a three-year contract to lead the content generation and production of all public-facing documents for Water Resources South East (WRSE) after a competitive tender process.
WRSE is preparing to publish its first-ever regional resilience plan and so the new contract, which came into effect from September 2020, will see Create 51 produce a series of documents and films that inform the plan, as well as non-technical summary versions of the plan itself.
Create 51 currently provides strategic engagement and communications support to WRSE. This latest contract award will ensure strategic oversight of the links and interdependencies between the documents physically being produced and the activities required to engage stakeholders on WRSE’s work.
Trevor Bishop, Organisational Development Director at WRSE said: “Our documents need to translate highly technical work into clear, concise and accessible material, and support effective engagement with a broad range of stakeholders so they can actively participate in the development of the plan.
“We were very impressed with Create 51’s offer of service as not only do they have a good understanding of the technical work that needs translating, but they are able to challenge the evidence-building process and potential areas of challenge and conflict that emerge – which will be critical to explaining the rationale behind our decision making.”
Penny Hodge, Director at Create 51, said: “WRSE’s documents are the building blocks of its regional resilience plan and so it’s vital they provide a clear, transparent and engaging narrative and fit together to tell the `bigger picture’ – not least as this new layer of regional water resource planning now being adopted means any plans will come under increased scrutiny from regulators and stakeholders alike.
“We are delighted WRSE has recognised the breadth of strategic engagement and communication expertise we have, and which makes us the go-to resource for much of the water sector.”
Create 51 was formed in 2015 and has particular expertise in regulatory processes, including successive price reviews, strategic plans, large-scale infrastructure projects and customer research and stakeholder engagement.
As well as WRSE, its regular water sector clients include Portsmouth Water, South East Water, Southern Water, SES Water, research body UKWIR, WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Service) and WaterSafe, the industry-backed plumber accreditation body.