One of the success-stories of the last decade has been the gradual acceptance by consultors, that their attempts to engage stakeholders and the public have to be more socially inclusive. Seeking the views of the usual suspects has always been easier than building relationships with communities and groups who are less accustomed to the culture and processes of British bureaucracy! At last we’re looking beyond them.

Most public bodies – and the more socially-aware private firms – today recognise that they do a better job if they take account of the diverse nature of modern society. The Equalities agenda has made Managers at all levels more aware of the need to avoid discrimination on racial, ethnic, gender or religious grounds. Legislation such as that on Disability is having a growing influence, and despite derision in the popular press, Councils and other organisations have made appointments of people whose full-time role is to ensure that those whose views were previously neglected, are now able to be heard.

In theory, therefore there should be fewer people who are hard-to-reach.