A Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) is a document submitted alongside a planning application that records what engagement took place before submission, who was consulted, what they said, and how their input shaped the final proposals. The term has a dual use in planning. Local planning authorities (LPAs) are required to publish their own SCI […]
What makes a Statement of Community Involvement defensible Read More »
Public bodies are generally aware that they can be challenged for running a bad consultation. Fewer are aware that they can be challenged for failing to consult at all, on the basis of something they said. That is the doctrine of legitimate expectation. It is not obscure. It has shaped significant judicial review decisions over
Legitimate Expectation in Public Consultation: The Legal Risk Hidden in Your Own Words Read More »
We’re relaunching our Thursday morning sessions from February, and we want to know what you’d like to explore Good news: our coffee mornings are coming back. We ran these back in the early 2020s and they were really valuable, so we’re bringing them back from February. We’d love to hear what topics you’d like us
Coffee Mornings Return: What are the Topics (Season 1) Read More »
The Administrative Court has granted permission for a judicial review of the Welsh Government’s decision to ban greyhound racing, on the ground of unlawful consultation. The case raises a direct question for anyone involved in policy: what does lawful public consultation actually require? tCI examines the process and the lessons it holds for decision-makers. Why
Budget pressures are pushing public bodies to reduce consultation spend. But cutting costs without managing the consequences introduces serious legal and reputational risk. This article examines how organisations can run efficient, lawful consultations that still meet their obligations under the Gunning principles, the Equality Act 2010, and WCAG 2.1 web accessibility standards. Why does trying
Public consultation in high conflict projects fails for predictable, preventable reasons. This article sets out the five interventions that consistently improve outcomes and defensibility across regulated infrastructure, NHS service change, and contested local decisions, drawing on UK case law and independent review practice. What makes a public consultation “high conflict” in legal terms? A high
What Makes Public Consultation Legally Defensible? A Guide for High Conflict Projects Read More »
Public bodies running major consultations routinely use HM Treasury’s Green Book to appraise options, and routinely face legal challenge under the Gunning principles, the court-established legal test for lawful public consultation in the UK. The two frameworks share a common goal but impose conflicting demands on timing, disclosure and decision-making. This article examines those conflicts
Engagement and consultation are not the same thing. Most practitioners know this in principle. Fewer have felt the legal consequences of getting the boundary wrong. In 2026, that boundary is better defined, more litigated, and more consequential than it was when Damian Greenfield examined the communication and engagement distinction in these pages in 2022 –
Engagement vs Consultation: Knowing the Difference in 2026 Read More »
Public bodies have long struggled with a fundamental tension: how to meaningfully involve the people they serve in shaping decisions, without ceding the accountability that democratic governance demands. Co-production offers a compelling answer, but only when it is done honestly, with clear rules and real power on the table. What Co-production Actually Means Co-production is
Co-production in Public Consultation: How to Share Power Without Losing Accountability Read More »
The pandemic forced focus groups online. That shift has stuck. Many organisations now default to digital platforms because they are faster to arrange and cheaper to run. But format is not neutral. It shapes participation, discussion depth and evidence quality. For those accountable under scrutiny, that matters. Digital Sessions Change Behaviour Online platforms alter how
Focus Groups | Digital vs In-Person: A Post-COVID Governance Question Read More »
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