“Effective Consultation”
A response from the Moore Adamson Craig Partnership to the Cabinet Office consultation paper on how the Government carries out consultations
We recommend an evaluation framework built around the following points:
An effective consultation -
- reaches the right people = a database of interested organisations and individuals kept up to date and checked at least annually; capable of segmentation by demographic criteria and user characteristics i.e. if it is a swimming pool, does the list give you regular users of current facilities. Easiest to do on a continuous basis and providing a basis for dialogue.
- in the right way = through the channel that the organisations and individuals mentioned above have asked for and
- over the right time = the period necessary for debates to be organised and held within the organisations consulted and considered feedback given as defined by those consulted
- feedback given = all those who sent in responses who identified themselves should be given feedback on subsequent actions and decisions by being remailed/ contacted in the same way as the original notification eg mailing or email.
- propositions and options clearly defined with all supporting information either given in the material as circulated or signposted as being available elsewhere - if possible tested with small groups before distribution including local elected representatives
- measured afterwards - e.g. proportion of responses received against total print/ total number on list/ local population affected; numbers attending at meetings; evaluations of meetings - at least 60% satisfied overall;
- issues understood = exploration/ explanation workshops/ seminars held early in consultation period after which people can go away and formulate their own responses
3. Follow the Money
Consultations have costs and nowhere is this discussed in the depth it deserves. Our analysis of costs indicates a cost of £50 per response (to a questionnaire, attendance at a meeting etc) may not be unreasonable.
However this remains an area where it is not sensible or possible to set 'one size fits all' guidelines. The way forward is to ask all who do a consultation to give the costs of the exercise - both above the line costs - printing, outside editors/writers, facilitators, research agency - and below the line i.e. their own staff time and we will start getting some decent data on what all this is costing and factor cost into a meaningful definition of effectiveness.
4. The twelve week consultation period
Whilst we recognise that a 12 week consultation period (question two) may seem too long in some circumstances, we are concerned that any reduction to this timescale runs the risk of being abused by organisations who wish to “rush things through”. Indeed we believe that the 12 week period should be extended in certain circumstances as we are familiar with a number of organisations which have (albeit it unintentionally through poor planning) ended up with consultation periods which span holiday periods, thus making it much harder for stakeholders bodies to put together responses and engage with the individuals they represent.
We are familiar with the scenario where a request for views reaches a voluntary organisation the week after their quarterly management meeting so the consultative period closes before they have a chance to come to a considered view and respond.
The issue of harmonising individual consultations with the decision-making cycles of bodies – large and small, voluntary and statutory – is never going to be solved to the satisfaction of all. However the consultees must be given some sense of ownership and equity in the process. Otherwise being asked to contribute time after time often in a rush to conform with some one else's timetable carries the risk of consultative exercises being seen more as a form of oppression and not as an opportunity to contribute to the development of policy. Can consultations be tailored to the nature and needs of the community to be consulted?
Continued: “Effective Consultation” Page 3