Appendix 2 - Extracts from Lancaster District Consultation Strategy

Aims and Objectives

The Council seeks to:

INVOLVE all stakeholders in:

  • Identifying issues which affect their lives
  • voicing their needs, priorities and aspirations
  • Identifying problems and solutions
  • Setting and monitoring targets for the continuing improvement of the Council services

EMPOWER all stakeholders to participate, should they choose, within the decision-making processes and to play a key role in the strategic planning of services and in the monitoring of service delivery.

FORMALISE the consultation process so that all involved understand the competing priorities and constraints under which Council services are delivered.

The Consultation Strategy seeks to ensure that:

  • The Council is open and responsive to the views of all stakeholders;
  • Local residents are involved in identifying local needs;
  • There is increased public participation in decision making;
  • Involved and responsible citizenship is enhanced throughout the district;
  • Residents are aware that the Council actively seeks and values their input;
  • Business and community partnerships flourish;
  • Clear resident priorities are established

To ensure that consultation is meaningful and effective the Council is committed to;

  • Using a variety of consultation methods in order that as many people as possible have the opportunity to become involved and to give us their views
  • Reducing barriers to consultation
  • Identifying ways of involving groups of people often excluded from consultation exercises
  • Working in partnership with a wide variety of organisations and groups
  • Ensuring a satisfactory feedback to consultees

Methods of Consultation

There are a variety of methods available which the Council will use to consult including:

  • Public/Open meetings
  • Workshops
  • Road-shows
  • national and local media including joint initiatives and campaigns
  • The Council magazine
  • Focus groups
  • User surveys
  • Local Compacts
  • Consultation and partnership working  
  • Skills exchange

Removing Barriers to Consultation

In order to remove barriers to consultation, the Council is committed to taking consultation to the community. We will take advantage of community venues and events and will align our consultation with these opportunities.

  • Developing appropriate information networks to ensure effective distribution of information
  • Doing our best to reach the people - we are aware that consulting with the community involves working outside office hours
  • Exploring creative possibilities to enhance community consultation in terms of accessible venues, transport provision, creche facilities, use of "plain English", talking newspapers and large print for the visually impaired, signing and interpreting services etc
  • Using realistic time scales when feedback is required and where possible agreeing all time scales with consultees
  • Making every effort to ensure that the consultation process is anti-discriminatory

The Council will include groups of people often excluded from consultation exercises. Particular initiatives will be pursued to ensure the involvement of people who who may be under represented in consultation exercises, including:

  • Young people
  • People with disabilities
  • People from minority ethnic groups
  • Older people
  • People who feel disengaged from their communities and the Council such as the unemployed and the homeless.

Young People

Young people will be consulted through a variety of networks including:

  • Schools and colleges
  • Youth and Community centres
  • The Youth Council
  • Community and Voluntary Organisations
  • Incorporating the principles of consultation within a Youth Strategy

People with Disabilities

People with disabilities - in order to facilitate effective consultation with people with disabilities we will, where possible:

  • Ensure that all venues for consultation events are fully accessible
  • Ensure that transport is provided where necessary
  • Ensure that all forms of communication meet the needs of the visually impaired (i.e: helpful font size and paper colour etc)
  • Liaise with voluntary and community groups whose members have disabilities
  • Encourage the active participation of carers and advocates
  • Provide appropriate facilities for all meetings (i.e. Induction loops, sign language facilities etc.)
  • Attend day centres, residential care homes and community venues and groups with a variety of consultation approaches;

People from Minority Ethnic Groups

Every effort will be made to consult directly with residents (using appropriate translation and interpretation service). Established groups such as Mapfed and the Diversity Forum will be able to hepl through their network of contacts.

  • Written information will be made available ion the appropriate languages;
  • Liaison will take place through places of worship, relevant voluntary and community leaders and community organisations and other innovative methods considered;

Older People

Older people will be consulted through a variety of organisations, both statutory and non-statutory, which offer services, advice and assistance to them, including many voluntary, community and faith groups who work with the older people of the District.

People who are disengaged with the Community

People who are disengaged with the community will be consulted through working with day centres, local job centres and benefits offices in order to canvas the view of these members of our community.

Involvement and Clarification

The Council will:

  • Involve people as early as possible in the consultation process
  • Always clarify the nature of the consultation exercise

Early involvement is not only desirable in terms of allowing people real input into the decision making process but also confirms the credibility of the consultation exercise. People will not feel that crucial decisions have been made prior to their participation. An early involvement  will promote interest, community empathy and ownership. Clear objectives will be set for any consultation exercise and the nature of consultees' involvement will be made known at an initial stage of the consultation process. (Clarification of the nature of the consultation exercise at this early stage will avoid misunderstanding and possible disillusionment later). Any limitations upon the degree of consultation i.e. legislative or financial restrictions will be known.

Levels of Consultation

An appropriate level of consultation will always be identified.  Levels of consultation include:

PUBLIC INFORMATION - the process by which the local authority informs people of its intentions, procedures and practices.  This level of consultation will underpin more active participation and will often act as a precursor to other levels.  However, in isolation it is only appropriate where a range of options regarding the items under discussion are not available.

·PUBLIC CONSULTATION - the process by which people are invited to express their views, usually where a range of options are available and the authority is willing to use public opinion as an important criteria for deciding upon a particular course of action.

 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - where people have a significant voice in the planning and decision making process.  Public participation as a consultative measure is only appropriate either where no pre-determined decisions have been made or where the authority is willing to be influenced by public feedback

Partnership Working

The Council will consult with a number of partners as appropriate.  These may include: Direct and indirect service users

  • Potential service users
  • Residents and the local community
  • Community and voluntary organisations
  • Local businesses
  • Parish councils
  • Employees
  • Trade Unions
  • Local Strategic Partnership
  • Other established partnerships
  • Other public service providers.

Feedback from Consultation

There is a recognition that it is crucial to feedback the results to those involved and therefore appropriate methods of feeding back to consultees will ALWAYS be identified and will ALWAYS be undertaken.  Feedback will take place as soon as possible after any consultation exercise and within an agreed timescale.

Evaluation

In order to ensure effective consultation objectives will be set for any consultation initiative.  These will be SMART:

STRATEGIC

MEASURABLE

AGREED

REALISTIC

TIMEBOUND

Each consultation exercise will be subject to evaluation against the set objectives.

Implementation – A Corporate Framework

The Council will co-ordinate its consultation programmes effectively in order to avoid consultation fatigue amongst people being consulted and ensure the best use of resources.  Lancaster City Council will produce an Annual Community Consultation Plan which will set out the Council’s proposals to consult and involve citizens and identify ways to increase community involvement.

Co-ordination of consultation exercises through the Annual Community Consultation Plan will:

Ensure that Members and Officers are informed about forthcoming consultation events

Avoid unnecessary duplication of time and resources by enabling consultation exercises to be co-ordinated and to be combined where appropriate.

The Consultation Strategy reflects Lancaster City Council’s commitment to effective consultation and to open accountable government.  It is intended to foster an enhanced working partnership between the Council, it’s residents, service users and all relevant stakeholders.

The Strategy reflects from within the Authority a corporate impetus to use consultation as a key feature of the decision making process.  Practical implementation measures have been established to ensure that all consultation initiatives are co-ordinated and are successful.  The Council will continually evaluate how consultation is being undertaken and will seek to identify innovative ways of ensuring maximum participation of all those who have an interest in life in the Lancaster District.