Aiming for good standards

Ask: 

• Is public engagement planned-in at the beginning of the decision-making process so that it is a genuine dialogue, carried out with integrity?
• Has existing information being taken into account so that the same questions aren’t being repeated - except perhaps for tracking purposes?
• Is the engagement activity being co-ordinated across your organisation and with partners so that some individuals and groups are not over-consulted?
• Is maximum time and opportunity planned so that individuals and groups can make considered and comprehensive responses; recognising that 12 weeks is the recommended time to be allowed?
• Are adequate resources being provided to use tailored approaches so that engagement is appropriate, effective and inclusive?
• How are elected members being involved?
• Would an Equality Impact Assessment help to identify particular relevance to particular groups in the community?
• Are barriers to involvement, experienced by certain groups and individuals, being removed?
• Are protection measures put in place regarding confidentiality of personal information and protection of vulnerable people?
• Will the experience be rewarding and enjoyable for the public – will they come back for more?
• Will the public be given the required information, skills and opportunities to empower them to be able to shape decisions?
• Will the contextual information provided be adequate, balanced and accurate, to enable them to form a considered view?
• Will the public be given information about how the engagement process itself is being carried out?
• Is the input of participants valued, and will the organisation demonstrate this by recording, reporting and taking into account all their views, and by being willing to change policies and plans as a result?
• Will the campaigning role of the voluntary sector be acknowledged and respected?
• Will the consultation results and the changes made as a result, including the reasons for the decisions taken, be published?
• Will the voluntary and community sector organisations, as well as businesses, that are contacted, and those that respond, be listed?
• Finally, will the engagement process be explained to the participants beforehand? 

Authors: Essex County Council, Rochford District Council and Uttlesford District Council. You are free to share, copy or adapt this work but you must attribute it to EngageEastEngland.

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