Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Overview and Scrutiny (Social Well-Being) Panel on their Working Group’s findings of a review of the Council’s consultation and engagement policies, procedures and practices.

requested the Managing Director (Resources) to undertake investigations as to how the current consultation and engagement process could be improved and to report back thereon to the Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being).

A report by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being) was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which summarised the findings of their study on the Council’ consultation and engagement policies, procedures and practices.

The Cabinet were informed that the study had emerged following concerns raised by Members of the public over the perceived weaknesses in the procedures employed by the Council during recent consultation and in response to a number of adverse reactions from the public to decisions taken following public consultation exercises.  In considering a series of recommendations for each area assessed, the Cabinet emphasised the need to consider them carefully given their potential impact on staff time and resources.  Having referred to the benefits of working with neighbouring authorities to build a consultation database of information, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

that the contents of the report be noted and the Managing Director (Resources) requested to undertake investigations as to how the current consultation and engagement process could be improved and to report back thereon to the Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being).

To receive the final report of the Consultation Processes Working Group – “TO FOLLOW”.

20 Minutes.

(Councillor P G Mitchell was in attendance for this Item.)

With the assistance of a report by the Consultation Processes Working Group (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) Councillor P G Mitchell acquainted the Panel with the outcome of the deliberations of the Working Group. The Working Group had been established to review the Council’s consultation and engagement policies, procedures and practices with a view to making recommendations on possible improvements to the existing processes.

In considering the report, Members’ attention was drawn to the key issues that the Group had addressed and to its recommendations.  Particular reference was made to examples of previous consultations undertaken by the Council.  The Panel discussed the validity of the methods employed by the Council to undertake the 2010 budget consultation.

With regard to the guidance offered to internal departments, Members endorsed a recommendation that Heads of Service, Ward Members and the Overview and Scrutiny Panels should be involved in consultations prior to their publication. They also agreed that a consultation plan should be established and that the Consultation Calendar and Database, which were available on the Council’s Intranet, should be regularly updated. 

Members expressed concern at the withdrawal of the free door to door publication District Wide, which they considered would adversely affect the Council’s ability to disseminate information on its consultations to the District’s residents. Having acknowledged that there was a need to improve the Council’s current consultation processes and the public’s perception of them, it was

RESOLVED

  that the Working Group's report and recommendations be endorsed for submission to the Cabinet.