“Effective Consultation”
A response from the Moore Adamson Craig Partnership to the Cabinet Office consultation paper on how the Government carries out consultations
1. “Effective Consultation”: our response
This is a response to the Cabinet Office consultation on “Effective Consultation” in 2007. The consultation exercise is aimed at those with an interest in how the Government currently consults and forms the centre-piece of a review of consultation policy.
The Moore Adamson Craig Partnership works with organisations, their staff and their users with a strong focus on the user experience. We have broad-ranging experience of working with public authorities to develop, design, run and evaluate formal consultation exercises but unlike many other similar organisations we also work closely with individual users and the groups which represent them to ensure that they are able to make their voices heard. Our “hands-on” experience of the needs and interests of users and the public gives us a particular perspective on the issue of public consultation which we draw upon in our response to “Effective Consultation”.
We have responded only to those questions where we feel we are in a position to make an informed comment.
2. The Code of Practice
We believe that the introduction of a Code of Practice (question one) has made a significant difference to how government consults people, not least because it has provided a clear framework for departments to work to and has resulted in a general acceptance of the need to consult and a better understanding of what is meant by consultation. However, we are aware from our own work within the public sector that many consultations are still carried out first and foremost because they are a requirement rather than because the organisation recognises the value of public views or expects to change its policies or practice as a result of responses to the consultation. We believe there is still a long way to go before government and much of the public sector appreciates the true value of the user input.
We would recommend that the Code be enhanced by association with a learning and evaluation programme whereby a sample of consulting organisations report back on what worked and what did not. Ideally this would be matched by the experience of the consulted to provide a steady stream of data which could then be applied to creating better practice.
We consider that an evaluation framework is needed to test and validate any claims for "Effective” Consultation. We are not sure what meaning if any can be given to that adjective. The only target measured at the moment on consultation is whether or not they have been out there for 12 weeks or more. The connoisseur of uselessly collected, tabulated and reported information will enjoy the section in the Annual Report on Consultations showing that the proportion of consultations out there for 12 weeks or more as has fluctuated over the years between 80% to 71%. What does this mean?
Continued: “Effective Consultation” Page 2