One of the most persistent urban myths about consultation is that it’s a numbers game. Reducing complex issues to a yes/no vote is always a risky business, and it is one of the reasons why quantitative surveys are gradually losing ground to more qualitative and more participative methods.

For, in consultation, consultees are not always equal. Whilst everyone has an equal entitlement to be heard, the weight that should be given to the views of particular consultees in any given situation has to reflect the circumstances of the engagement exercise. If the aim is to gauge public reaction to a new traffic scheme, the numbers in favour could well be critical. But if, for example, the consultation is about reconfiguring certain specialist health services, the views of healthcare practitioners or maybe the groups representing patients suffering from relevant medical conditions are likely to be of greatest use to its organisers.