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We live surrounded by a culture of targets. It is not just the Government; Private Companies have been target-driven for decades, and it is well established that setting clear, measurable […]

Few terms cause more confusion than the simple words – public engagement. Used very generally, it refers to all aspects of the relationship between Public bodies, the citizens they serve

When politicians try to justify their actions, they frequently refer to their mandate. It is another word for their “authority” and in this context, that mandate derives from the democratic

Think of an airport …….. There goes the jumbo jet lumbering along the runway, taking 400 passengers to the other side of the world. Next comes the ubiquitous 737 with

The telephone rings. “Hello; this is John. Can I pick your brains for a few minutes …..?” Is this consultation? The answer, of course is Yes. This type of informal

Harold Macmillan is quoted as saying “Events … dear boy …”, when asked about the most challenging aspect of being Prime Minister. The same could be said by many consultors,

The theory is pretty unequivocal. You normally go to consultation where there are decisions to be taken, policies to be adopted or programmes to be developed, and where stakeholder views

One of the legacies of the 1990’s was revulsion with so-called sleaze and a raft of anti-corruption machinery such as the Nolan Rules. As a result, those who become involved

One of the ironies of the Xmas period is that the most frenetic, congested, over-hyped, commercially-crazed weeks of the year is meant to be imbued with a sustained veneer of