Contact: Keith Kerslake/Karen Mann, ext 7317/6751

1 Description of the Review.

1.1 The Best Value Review of Community Engagement is a cross- cutting themed review. It is a direct response by the authority to address one of the areas of improvement identified in the CPA Improvement Plan in 2002. The plan commended the authority for its `impressive array of methods of communication and consultation with uses and partners'. However, concern was expressed over issues related to the timing of consultation and the coordination and use of the findings. The CPA recommended that the authority reviewed its practices to:

· `Ensure that it (HCC) consults all relevant stakeholders over strategies, policies and priorities early enough to enable the results of the consultation to influence outcomes'.

· Make better use of existing consultation mechanisms

· Better coordinate the organisation's consultation to inform actions

· Improve the mechanisms for disseminating the findings of consultation to ensure they inform policy and service development across the organisation and between partners.

2 Statutory responsibilities.

2.1 The statutory responsibilities can be found in the Local Government Act 1999 chapter c.27 as follows:

i) 3.(1) A best value authority must make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

Deciding how to fulfil the duty arising under subsection (1)

(a) representatives of persons liable to pay any tax, precept or levy to or in respect of the authority.

(b) representatives of persons liable to pay non-domestic rates in respect of any area within which the authority carries out a function.

(c) Representatives of persons who use or are likely to use services provided by the authority, and

(d) Representatives of persons appearing to the authority to have any interest in any area within which the authority carries out a function.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) `representatives' in relation to a group of persons means persons who appear to the authority to be representative of that group.

(4) In deciding on-

(a) the persons to be consulted, and

(b) the form, content and timing of consultations,

an authority must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

2.2 Effective consultation is also a vital element of aims 5 and 6 of the Corporate strategy; Improving services and Developing Councillors and staff. In fact it could be argued that consultation has a link to all the Corporate aims.

3 The Scope of the Review.

3.1 The review will look at those issues that have been identified above in paragraph 1.1. The original best value review working title was `community engagement'. However, during the scoping process the review team felt that this was too broad. In order to ensure the review resulted in concrete actions it should focus on the response to the CPA Improvement Plan. If other related issues do arise on a frequent basis, and are not considered part of the main theme of the review, they will be highlighted and referred to members for consideration for further work. It is therefore proposed that the main objective of the review will look at the factors that determine how the authority can deliver better mechanisms to ensure strategies, policies and priorities are customer focused. The review will also embrace the key themes of crime and disorder, e-government, equalities and sustainability along with the principles of the Corporate Strategy.

4 Team.

4.1 The review team comprises a core and extended team. The core team has been selected because the review outcomes will have a significant impact on the work of that section. The extended team includes senior representatives from all departments as well as outside partners from local authorities, research consultants and cross party members of the Policy and Review PRC .

4.2 The team members are as follows:

Core Team.

ii) Keith Kerslake - Review Leader

iii) Karen Mann - Project Manager

iv) Paul Day - External Review Leader

v) Katie Crabb - Corporate Performance Team

Extended Team

vi) Keith Kerslake Corporate Communications

vii) Karen Mann Corporate Communications

viii) Katie Crabb Corporate Performance Team

ix) Paul Day IT Services

x) Nick Gibbins County Treasurers

xi) Peter Brown Environment Department

xii) Karen Murray PBRS

xiii) Nicola Horsey R&H

xiv) Frances Martin Community Strategy

xv) Terry Rath Education

xvi) Jane Goodwin Staff Representative

xvii) Christina Sell Social Services

xviii) Hugh Langford E-Government

xix) David Keddy Dorset County Council

xx) Dr Lynne Miller Miller Associates

xxi) Councillor Ellis

xxii) Councillor Roberts

xxiii) Councillor Davidovitz

xxiv) Councillor Dash

5 Creating the `vision'.

5.1 The initial meeting of the extended team on 11 February 2004 met to decide the purpose and scope of the review. The team also agreed on a number of key people who should form part of the extended team for future meetings of this review. This was to ensure that there was appropriate levels of challenge and comparing. It was during this discussion that agreement was reached that the review should focus on responding specifically to the CPA improvement plan.

5.2 The visioning meeting took place over half a day on 26 March 2004. This exercise involved all members of the extended team. The half day was facilitated by the Hampshire Learning Centre. The team were split into 3 groups to consider:

· What successful community consultation should look like

· Using the criteria to develop a vision statement describing excellent community consultation.

· Identifying some draft practical changes to meet the vision.

5.3 The visioning statement for consultation that incorporated most of the elements of all the group work is: ( this vision may be subject to alteration and refinement by the team as the review moves onto the next phase).

· `A process by which we listen to what you say, valuing what you tell us, using this to inform our decisions'.

5.4 The groups were asked to identify what and how the County Council could and should do to achieve this vision. The following issues were identified by all groups:

5.5 `What' to achieve the vision.

· Greater coordination of consultation across the organisation.

· Timely and effective dissemination of findings across the whole organisation.

· Employing the principles of best practice to all consultation undertaken.

· Using the information to ensure the organisation has the customer at the heart of its policy making.

5.6 `How' to achieve the vision.

· Central team to coordinate consultation activity

· Gather research and information at a local level to inform and guide all members in their constituencies.

· Look at good practice in other organisations, both public and private sector.

· Informing the public how the information is being used and what we are doing as a result of their participation in the consultation process.

6 Approach to phase two of the review.

6.1 The extended team will look at how the 4 C's will be applied to the review at 2 half day workshops which are to be arranged in June. Compare, Compete, Consult and Challenge will be explored in the following ways:

· Compare - examining consultation practices in other local authorities and partner organisations and the private sector.

· Compete - assess the market through the `call-off contract' for market research services already developed and implemented centrally.

· Consult - identify the main stakeholders, and determine what information exists and where further work will benefit the review.

· Challenge - The extended team includes an outside research agency with extensive experience working with local authorities as well as a consultation officer from another `excellent' status authority. Input from these members at every stage will ensure the team are aware of the challenge elements of the review.

6.2 The team will also look at the merits of applying the basic principles of the EFQM model to the review.

7 Resource requirements.

7.1 The review began in February of this year. The work of the review will require an estimated 120 officer days, plus 4-5 meetings of the extended team. The team have yet to decide whether there needs to be further consultation work to inform the review. Initial estimates of costs are between £3-5,000.

8 Outputs from the review.

8.1 The report detailing options for the review will be tabled for inclusion on the agenda of a future meeting of the Policy and Resources, Policy Review Committee. We are aiming for October 21.

Recommendation.

1 Members note the progress to date.

2 That members approve the direction of the review as outlined above.

Section 100D-Local Government Act 1972-background papers.

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has benn relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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