Whose views are we hearing? A large number of public consultations seem destined to mobilise one group of people in particular – those who are immediately affected by proposals that cause them concern. Think of the number of occasions councils have had to consult on changes to their library services. Or the rationalisation of Accident […]
Consulting the worried or the wider public… Read More »
Consultation as the antidote to frenetic political panic. In 1889, Gilbert and Sullivan unveiled their comic operetta, The Gondoliers, and late in the second Act amid the mayhem of mistaken marriages, chaos and confusion comes a reflective quartet – a moment of sublime slow tempo waltz. 130 years later the words are strangely apposite:-                                         Â
Quiet calm deliberation… Read More »
Why consultation professionals should study the important analysis published by the Centre for Public Impact The last time we looked, we found that there about 150 active Think Tanks in the UK. Outsourced research and policy-making is alive and well, especially now that the civil service has retreated into being a BREXIT-dominated commissioner rather than
The need for a focus on public impact Read More »
Policy mistakes often stem from inadequate engagement with stakeholders The classic text on public administration disasters is The Blunders of our Government, but had the much lamented Professor Anthony King lived to this week, he would surely have found fertile material in the scandal of the Windrush people, which cost Amber Rudd her job on
Windrush woes; a failure of consultation? Read More »
…What might we have learnt about consultation? There was no parliamentary vote before British aircraft took part in the bombing raid against Syrian installations last week. For years, Governments relied on their prerogative powers to decide first and seek parliamentary approval (or acquiescence) later. Only in recent years has it become politically essential to consult
Had Parliament been consulted … ? Read More »
How suitable is ‘brand management’ in a public consultation? Since communications departments have taken a bigger role in organising public consultations, it has become popular to provide such exercises with a ‘brand image.’ They tend to follow predictable patterns. ‘Better Buses for Bootle’; ‘A Healthier Hogwartshire’, or ‘A New Beginning for Knotty Ash’. These come
Putting a face to the faceless Read More »
Decision-maker or Solution-builder? We enter 2018 with co-production hitting an all-time high in the popularity stakes. It seems to capture the mood of the moment, harnessing community assets to make better use of diminishing resources, particularly in the fields of health and social care. Institute members report positive experiences – well beyond these subjects, and
Co-production in perspective Read More »
Take care when seeking changes to time-honoured traditions. It began as an innocuous proposal – similar to many in the world of public services. Father Christmas merely announced that henceforth, his organisation would accept online requests from children all over the world, but phase out traditional hard-copy correspondence. How could they have anticipated that this
Father Christmas accused of a sham consultation Read More »
Proposals that require a re-consultation. The ‘Eagle Wharf’ High Court decision has implications well beyond Planning. We have new confirmation that Judges will not easily tolerate people’s rights to be consulted being overlooked or otherwise circumvented. This month’s High Court judgment in the case of Holborn Studios v London Borough of Hackney was about planning
Judicial review – Council loses Read More »
Is it time for key stakeholders to become more assertive and demand better consultations? Have public consultations got better over the last ten years? It’s a good question, because although some of us close to the profession would claim significant advances, many others would vociferously deny it. They might point to regular abuses and a
Pushing for better consultations Read More »
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