Decision details

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet welcomes the insights, findings and conclusions of the Committee and notes this review was highlighted in the Select Committee annual scrutiny report. The Cabinet asks Officers, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, to:

1.    Explore the integration of digital devices in libraries, providing users with language preferences for live consultations.

2.    Provide quick survey options during detailed consultations for users who prefer faster responses.

3.    Consider adding a dedicated section within 'My Account' for live consultation documents to enhance user participation.

4.    Foster collaboration with the Youth Council to ensure relevant involvement in consultations, encouraging feedback from the youth demographic.

5.    Consider ways to increase engagement on social media platforms, like Facebook, such as addressing comments about consultations and guiding users to relevant consultations.

6.    Facilitate easier interaction for Councillors by providing shareable links to consultations within their wards or wider related issues.

7.    Establish a 'You said, we did' approach to provide feedback on decisions made and actions taken based on received feedback.

8.    Approve using post-meeting links to Council surveys and consultations on relevant council meeting YouTube broadcasts to further promote them.

9.    Consider introducing an annual evaluation across consultations looking at their effectiveness in achieving geographical and demographical parity to set measurable objectives for improvement.

Reasons for decision

Following a request from the Full Council to review the Council’s consultation arrangements, the former Finance & Corporate Services Select Committee undertook a review and made some practical recommendations to aid the way consultations were devised going forward to increase resident and community interest and take-up.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services expressed gratitude to the Select Committee for their work on the report. The Cabinet Member acknowledged the importance of consultation as part of local government activities, with the challenge being to ensure feedback was obtained from a broad and diverse range of community members, not just those who were particularly informed and vocal. The need to integrate this work more into the organisation’s culture was highlighted, with the aim of gaining more benefits from it. The recent consultation regarding the Uxbridge library was cited as a successful example, as it yielded practical and sensible ideas that were not initially considered but were now being incorporated. The Cabinet Member noted that this would result in significant improvements to the facility, cost reductions, and the continued provision of this important service.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have chosen to not approve or amend the recommendations.