By the end of this course, participants will be able to write council reports that are:

• Clear, concise, complete and correct

• Written at the appropriate strategic level

• Aligned with organisational templates and style guides

• Focused on supporting sound decision-making

• Polished using AI while maintaining professional judgement

Participants will also be able to:

• Explain why high-quality council reporting is critical for timely and effective decision-making

• Apply planning, writing and editing techniques to improve report quality

• Communicate key messages clearly using the correct level of detail

• Use appropriate language and tone for councillors

• Apply AI techniques responsibly to refine reports

Understanding the councillor audience

• What information councillors need to know

• The difference between a management report and a council report

• Councillor decision-making criteria

• Shifting from documenting detail to presenting strategy

• The impact of providing too much or too little information

Types of council reports

• Reporting progress against KPIs

• Reports for information

• Reports for approval

Using the template

• Understanding the council report template

• What each heading is asking for

• How templates support consistency and decision-making

Addressing standard headings

• Title

• Executive summary or core message

• Recommendations

• Key information, including:

  • Background

  • Strategic impact and the story behind the report

  • Options considered

  • Alignment to the Strategic Plan

  • Financial implications

  • Communications and engagement

  • Context and consultation

  • Risks

  • Attachments

Planning the report

• Distilling information for the reader

• Using a spidergram to identify and plan content

• Writing efficiently from the spidergram

Editing and proofreading your report

Editing techniques to increase readability and quick comprehension:

• Sentence length and structure

• Main message first in sentences and paragraphs

• Passive versus active voice

• Plain English and correct word choice to suit the reader

• Eliminating wasted words

• Formatting techniques to support scanning

• Using AI to polish the document

Proofreading techniques to ensure accuracy and consistency.