Consultation Commitment Statement

• Need
  Before any new consultation begins, a thorough search will be made to find out whether relevant questions have already been asked of the recipients or stakeholders. We will avoid unnecessary repetition and take into account existing information before carrying out further consultation.

• Inclusiveness
  Consultation will aim to be inclusive. To achieve this, the Council will give particular consideration to the needs of people termed ‘hard to reach’. It is the Councils job to ensure that those whose views are frequently excluded or overlooked, are actively sought as part of consultation. This will result in the consultation being representative of the community as a whole.

• Openness
  The consultation process should be open and transparent to consultees about the reasons for consultation and the way in which the outcomes of the consultation will realistically influence the decision. It is important to be clear about what participants can contribute to the process, what they will gain from taking part and the extent to which their input can influence decision-making.

• Commitment
  We endeavour to show respect for both stakeholders and taxpayers by giving consultation the appropriate priority, time and resources, and demonstrating that it is a genuine attempt to understand and incorporate other opinions.

• Timeliness
  It is important to ensure that timescales will allow for good quality consultation. We will give consultees adequate time to prepare their response and allow sufficient time for the results of consultation to be collated, analysed and considered.

• Responsiveness
  Those being consulted must perceive that their voice will be taken seriously. There is no point in spending time and money on a consultation exercise if there is no willingness to listen to the results.

• Feedback
  We will provide accessible feedback both on the results of the consultation and on how they have been used, in order to encourage greater participation in the future.

• Productivity
  The Council will adopt clear processes of consultation which, where possible, produce results that are measurable and can be evaluated objectively.

Page last updated on 9 June 2009