Newark and Sherwood District Council's five-year plan to ensure residents' views are being prioritised
A council aims to put the views of the community first when it comes to decision making as it updates it's consultation and engagement strategy.
Councillors will decide whether or not to adopt the updated strategy at Newark and Sherwood District Council's cabinet meeting tomorrow (October 4).
The strategy will guide the work of the council for the next five years, outlining the approach to consultation and engagement going forward.
It has been developed to ensure that residents, tenants and businesses can influence the future of where they live by delivering change and informing service developments.
The five-year strategy is supported by an action plan to ensures that the key elements of the strategy are acted upon. The strategy will also be shared with consultants and third parties working on behalf of the District Council.
Councillor David Lloyd, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: "Engagement and consultation are vital to ensure that our residents and communities are at the heart of everything we do as a Council.
"Consultation has too often been regarded as a tick box exercise because it occurs too late in processes, or it is seeking to affirm a proposal without alternatives.
"I want us to move more toward early engagement to shape proposals, moving away from standard surveys and toward generating meaningful dialogue. This cannot realistically occur on every issue or item, but it can properly help to shape strategies and policies.
"I want to make sure that engagement with our communities is a continuous process which facilitates and encourages opportunities for residents to share their thoughts, ideas and experiences with us.
"This valuable information will, in turn, be used to inform changes and developments to current services, projects, initiatives, policies and strategies. Therefore, I am pleased that this strategy is being presented to Cabinet for adoption."
Five levels of community engagement are recommended in the strategy, ranging from low involvement on matters such as national policy which cannot be changed, to high involvement whereby there is devolved responsibility for residents to guide a direction.
The engagement approach taken each time will vary based on the nature of the service and the particular drivers of engagement.
The District Council says community engagement allows them to maintain an understanding of local priorities and needs, which is then used to influence service design and delivery.
It also enables the council to adapt and improve ways of working by utilising feedback and knowledge gained to better meet residents' needs.
The strategy will be discussed at District councillors at a cabinet meeting tomorrow (October 4).
