Content Workflow Template for Local Councils & Municipalities

Content Production Workflow for Local Councils & Municipalities

A structured content workflow prevents quality from degrading as you scale. Here is a stage-by-stage template designed for local councils & municipalities:

• Stage 1: Department identifies content need (new service, event, policy update)
• Stage 2: Comms team creates brief with council brand guidelines and accessibility requirements
• Stage 3: Department staff or comms writer drafts content
• Stage 4: AI review scores against council brand, accessibility, plain language, and department criteria
• Stage 5: Comms team reviews for brand consistency and community tone
• Stage 6: Accessibility check and legal review where required
• Stage 7: Published across council website, newsletters, and social channels

Common Bottlenecks

These are the workflow bottlenecks that slow down local councils & municipalities content teams the most:

• Department staff are not trained writers — content quality varies wildly
• Comms team is small (often 2-5 people) but every department needs their help
• Council rebrands and mergers create periods of brand inconsistency
• Planning and regulatory content has different requirements from community content

Where AI Review Fits In

AI content review removes the biggest bottleneck — the first-pass quality check. Here is how it integrates into the local councils & municipalities workflow:

• AI review gives department staff instant feedback before involving comms team
• Brand consistency scored automatically — comms team only reviews flagged content
• Accessibility compliance checked on every piece, not just random audits
• Department-specific criteria (e.g., planning language accuracy) added to base council standards

Implementation Guide

Implementing this workflow takes 1-2 weeks for most teams:

• Week 1: Document your current workflow stages and identify your biggest bottleneck.
• Week 1: Define 5 quality criteria and their weights for your most common content type.
• Week 2: Set up an AI reviewer with these criteria and test on recent content.
• Week 2: Roll out the new workflow to your team with clear stage definitions and quality thresholds.

Frequently Asked Questions