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250+ people at the Neil Stewart Associates conference on Community Consultation – Empowering Communities last week waited for Hazel Blears, but unfortunately she was unable to appear; neither was Caroline Flint, her announced replacement. But had they showed up, no doubt they would have repeated the current policy that local authorities – and all their […]

In this Olympic year, it may be timely to reflect upon the styles adopted by some of the world’s athletes and other sportsmen. Some make a virtue of huffing, puffing and emerging battered from the fray. Others give interviews as if they had just crossed the street for a relaxing conversation. What distinguishes a Tiger

Today sees the launch-date for LINks – the new mechanism for harnessing the views of individuals and organisations about health and social care in England. So, somewhere today there will be a conversation that goes roughly like this:- Is your group going to take part in LINks? (Hopefully the local version will have been branded

Mention rugby to a Welshman these past few days, and you’ll have no difficulty kick-starting an animated dialogue! Everyone has an opinion and will take every opportunity to express it. Something similar exists in the Indian sub-continent with cricket or in Brazil with football. On a more cultural level, think how the Italians relate to

No, this is not a celebration of Bruce Forsyth’s 80th birthday, but recognition that doing justice to opposite ends of the age spectrum is a challenge for many organisations. The coincidence of our programme planning in the Institute this spring has resulted in a Seminar/Workshop in Cardiff on consultation with children and young people, followed

People can always criticise a public consultation! Just on the timescales alone, it is quite a challenge to please everyone. Leaving aside the more obvious blunders such as announcing it quietly when nobody notices (a recent CLG consultation of interest to local government was published on December 27th!) or holding a six week consultation in

Those who wish to influence detailed aspects of these new policies have till 20th March to comment. But, although they apply only to England, the underlying principles raise interesting questions which extend to all public bodies, or even to private firms or third sector organisations – in fact any that operate in the public domain.

Stockbrokers used to say Sell in May and go away. Ministers just publish White Papers, Consultations or Guidelines, leaving those who need to understand and implement them with some weighty holiday reading. In the case of the Empowerment White Paper – Communities in Control – we are meant to believe that the “journey” towards greater

Sometimes public policy seems to catch the mood of the moment; often it misses by a mile! What’s about to happen in health and social care in England could emerge as a seminal moment in the annals of public involvement, with implications for virtually every other public service. On the other hand, if Governments continue