07/11/2014 - Permalink

Council to trial the use of WhatsApp

Related topics: Community / Democracy

Shropshire Council is to trial the use of mobile messaging app WhatsApp to communicate with local people, following the huge success of its twitter account, which the council started to use as one of its main communications channels in 2013.

Keith Barrow, Shropshire Council’s leader, four other councillors and a council general enquiries service will be on WhatsApp for a four-week period, starting on Monday 10 November 2014.

Keith Barrow said:

“By trying new ways of communicating, we open up a whole new dialogue with people in a way that suits people and is comfortable to them.  I want the council to only ever be as far away as a text message, a friend on Facebook or a fellow tweeter.

“Following on from the success of our twitter account, it seems sensible to see how we can use WhatsApp to interact with local people.”

The use of WhatsApp is new to the council; however, it has 417 million users worldwide. WhatsApp is a mobile messaging app which allows people to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS.  WhatsApp is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia.

Because WhatsApp uses the same Internet data plan that people use for email and web browsing, there is no extra cost to message and stay in touch.  In addition, people can send unlimited images, video and audio media messages.

Keith added:

“We are very keen to communicate with our customers using channels that they have already adopted, rather than creating new ones and simply expecting them to use them.

“Of course we hope that it’s successful as it could be a fantastic way for us to talk to each other; but if not, we’ll dust ourselves down, learn from it and move on.”

If you are using WhatsApp and want to get in touch, simply add these numbers to your phone and send any of the councillors a message:

  • Keith Barrow, Shropshire Council’s leader, and local Shropshire Councillor for Oswestry South  – 07703 344774
  • Dean Carroll, local Shropshire Councillor for Bagley – 07979 966339
  • Robert Macey, local Shropshire Councillor for Gobowen, Selattyn and Weston Rhyn – 07841 120162
  • David Turner, local Shropshire Councillor for Much Wenlock – 07990 085136
  • Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult services – transformation and safeguarding, and a local Shropshire Councillor for Church Stretton and Craven Arms – 07990 085181
  • Council general enquiries (this will only be used for WhatsApp and is not a mobile number that will receive calls) – 07990 085348.

The general council enquiries number will be monitored Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.  Messages outside of these hours will be picked up, but please be patient.