Consultations
Current consultations
- Core strategy-issues and options - 30 June 2008 - 29 September 2008
- Reaching Out - shaping the future of day opportunities for adults with mental health problems
Completed consultations over the last twelve months
- Mill Hill East Area Action Plan - Submission Document - 9 May 2008 - 23 June 2008
- Brent Cross Cricklewood Regeneration - 15 April 2008 - 30 May 2008
- New Standards Planning Application form (1APP) - 12 March 2008 - 1 April 2008
- Have your say on the council’s budget 2008/09
- Barnet at Burnt Oak Customer Service Centre Survey 2007 - 30 November - 14 January 2007
- Granville Road Estate, Cricklewood, NW2: 23 October - 4 December 2007
- Review of the licensing policy: 13 September - 21 November 2007
- Childcare in Barnet - 26 September - 31 October 2007
- Mill Hill East re-development: third exhibition - 17 September - 29 October 2007
- The Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Clinical Strategy consultation (Your Health, Your Future, Safer, Closer, Better) 28 June - 19 October 2007
- Review of polling districts and polling places - 1 July - 31 July 2007
- 'Every Child Matters' ContactPoint - 4 May 2007 - 27 July 2007
- Abandoned shopping and luggage trolleys 1 March 2007 - 31 May 2007
- Lifelong Learning planning obligations - 12 March 2007 - 23 April 2007
- School and LEA plans closing date - 1 March 2007
- Proposals for Barnet Hill Primary School and Whitings Hill Primary School closing date - 10 January 2007
- Sustainable Design and Construction Supplementary Planning Document - 23 November 2006 - 10 January 2007
What is consultation?
Below are some definitions of consultation. Although they may differ slightly in emphasis they all include the central idea of a meaningful engagement between the council and residents to inform or influence decision-making with the aim of improving standards, efficiency and quality of life for residents and other stakeholders in the borough.
- ‘..a policy or activity is being developed and views are sought on priorities before proceeding’ (LBB Strategy on Consultation and Engagement, 2004)
- ‘.. a two way process, involving two or more parties listening, and taking into account, the views of the other’ (unknown source)
- ‘..a dynamic process of dialogue between two or more parties that leads to a decision ...based on an ongoing exchange of views and information, rather than a one off event’ (Audit Commission)
Why Barnet consults
Barnet Council consults in order to identify what to focus on and improve; develop a clear idea on what outcomes are desired and to understand what is important to residents. The council wishes to listen to, learn from and engage with, service users, local people, community partners and other stakeholders.
There are many benefits from consulting residents and other stakeholders:
- Determining how resources should be prioritised
- Better public services - consultation helps improve services by making them more relevant to people’s needs
- New services can be developed to meet the needs of current and future users.
- Informing service planning
- Testing ideas and policies before starting them on a large scale
- Improving relationships with residents and community groups
- Providing a way to monitor resident satisfaction levels over time
- Enabling residents to look at a problem from different perspectives
- To stimulate community involvement when bidding for external funding
- To promote the democratic process - people have a basic right to have control over their own lives
- Complying with a statutory duty to consult – for example, under the Government’s Best Value initiative the council has to consult the public about the services we provide.
How Barnet consults
The council consults residents using a variety of consultation channels and methods:
- Citizens’ Panel (including Black and Minority Ethnic Panel and Disability Panel);
- Annual Residents’ Attitude Survey;
- 3 yearly BVPI General Survey (the next survey will be in the last quarter of 2006);
- Budget Consultation (not every year);
- Local Strategic Partnership;
- Themed Partnerships;
- Area Forums;
- Civic Network;
- Inter Faith Network;
- ‘One-off’ Consultation exercises on specific issues (e.g. Barnet’s Community Strategy, Children and Young People’s plan);
- Housing - a variety of mechanisms exist for encouraging tenant/leaseholder involvement and participation;
- Scrutiny Committees invite participation and call for evidence from the public and community representatives on particular issues;
- Best Value Reviews.
Barnet's Consultation and Engagement Strategy
For full details of Barnet’s policy on consultation and engagement read our Consultation and Engagement Strategy
