Our consultation charter

Uttlesford District Council is committed to effective consultation where we ask for your views to help us make a decision on a specific topic. We'll consider what you say and use this, along with other information.
 

What we'll do

We'll aim to make sure that any consultations we carry out are properly targeted and necessary.

Relevant

We'll make sure that consultation is relevant and undertaken only when necessary.

Timely

All of our consultation should be well-planned and timely.  We'll allow sufficient time for responses to be recorded, analysed and considered, permitting the findings to be fed directly into the council's decision making process

Informed opinion

Opinion should be informed. Where appropriate, we'll use any of our communications channels alongside consultation to inform and stimulate public interest.

Purpose and ownership

The purpose and ownership of any consultation should be clear and information balanced. All consultation will include a clear statement describing why it is being carried out and how the results will be used. Any information provided should not be designed to influence a response in any way.

Inclusive

All consultation should be inclusive. Any engagement should aim to incorporate a representative cross-section of opinion, including harder-to-reach sections of the community. Where possible, alternative formats such as audio, Braille, large print and languages other than English should be made available.

Methods

Methods should be appropriate and well-managed.

Results

Results should be acknowledged and fully assessed. Attention will be focused on areas of agreement and disagreement. The results of consultation will be measured in partnership with other relevant evidence and considerations.

Feedback

Accessible feedback should be given.

Effectiveness

Effectiveness should be evaluated - Evaluation will consider not only the results of the consultation, but also the method used, focusing on the quality, cost and timeliness of the consultation and the overall usefulness of the results in helping to inform the decision making process.

Resourcing

Staff should be well-resourced and appropriately skilled.

These principles can be summarised by being:

• Clear - clear and concise questions are asked and consultees are clear why we are consulting and how we are using their feedback
• Effective - the appropriate methods and resources are used in consultation so that the information produced is both useful and used
• Inclusive - the diverse range of groups from all corners of Uttlesford are included in consultation
• Consistent - high standards of consultation are used throughout the council whenever consultation is carried out
• Co-ordinated - consultation is planned, avoids duplication and maximises, where possible, opportunities for joint consultation