Tuesday Topic

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 ballot box. But in a society where we trespass upon people’s time – and invite them to offer their considered opinions, a different kind of […]

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 its load of 150 holiday-makers off to the Mediterranean sun. Last comes a tiny commuter plane with just four people on board – and one

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 dialogue forms an integral part of most people’s jobs. Every Manager, every service provider, every policy-maker at some point feels the need to ask advice

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, when asked why the output of a consultation exercise ultimately failed to influence a key decision or policy. Maybe it’s Murphy’s law, or just serendipity,

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 can be expected to exert influence. There are few exceptions to this, but is this one of them? Try this little test. Switch on Radio

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 in public life, or who hold public office, are today conscious of the need to be whiter-than-white and to account for every penny which could

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 bonhomie which we often refer to as seasonal goodwill! There is little logic, but somehow it seems to work, as few people complain about the

The famous Welsh Rugby coach, Carwyn James (famous for his work with the 1971 British Lions) is remembered for once having urged his players to “get your retaliation in first” ! I suspect that many who organise public consultations know what he meant. They have accepted a difficult brief, arranged to have the arguments set

Public consultation is not traditional accountant-territory. Few consultation projects are formally budgeted, and many of the costs involved are normally funded from larger departmental or functional budget allocations. If you run a sizeable corporate communications department with a substantial budget earmarked for publicity, it may appear dogmatic hair-splitting to account separately for distributing leaflets inviting

Tuesday Topic 6 tackled the thorny issue of budgeting and funding consultations. It recommended that organisations take steps to improve their accounting and monitor value for money. But this isn’t the whole story. Far more money is spent responding to consultations than organising them. Consider a consultation issued from a central Government department. It may