Getting in on the action

New innovative consultation techniques could transform the relationship between councils and residents. Under Best Value and in recent housing investment guidance there is a new emphasis for local councils to consult and involve the community. Housing associations too have been encouraged to consult and involve their tenants by the Housing Corporation.

But not all methods are equally suitable for different situations. And care needs to be taken to ensure that, on the one hand, unrealistic expectations are not raised, but that. on the other, those consulted feel that consultation is more than a paper exercise. It is important to determine well in advance the best approach, and to adapt methods to suit local needs and circumstances.

The London Housing Unit looked at ten consultation techniques including satisfaction surveys, citizens+ panels and new techology Some councils have already started to use the internet to consult residents about future housing policy. Others are using techniques which are easier to apply such as focus groups.

The London Borough of Hillingdon has just completed a series of focus groups as part of the review process for implementing Best Value. These focus groups have enabled the housing department to enter into a dialogue with 'hard-to-reach' tenants, such as people living in sheltered housing, and people who do not normally respond to surveys about the services they receive.

Wendy Erlick, client services manager, involved with the project, said: "Tenants are very enthusiastic about focus groups. They are talking in an informal situation, sparking off other people. They give far more information than by responding to a tick box." Wendy Erlick explains that through focus groups tenants have provided more in-depth discussion of housing problems and come up with good ideas.

However, she has a cautionary note to add about focus groups, saying that they are very subjective and need to be used in conjunction with techniques such as quantitative surveys.

She points out too that consultation takes time. The focus groups have taken around six months to complete and now officers need time to read through the written accounts and incorporate tenants+ views into the Best Service service plans for housing.

Sometimes adopting a new approach to consultation can resolve tensions and arguments between a council and its residents. In Southampton public meetings about regeneration plans were full of anger and conflict.

The Southampton Regeneration Partnership then held a Community Planning Weekend called Redrawing the map - together, which brought together over 1,000 people. Independent consultants were employed and people were brought together in workshops in a harmonious way.

Janet Reece, community action co-ordinator at Southampton city council, said: "People from very different backgrounds worked together and very hard over a weekend. It would not have been possible in another context. There was a huge amount of networking between the voluntary, business and public sectors and they formed lasting relationships."

According to Janet Reece the independence of the consultants was crucial to the success of the event. Everyone else there was a guest. The event asked people to 'dream their dream' about regeneration and gave them the freedom to express themselves. Council officers too were allowed to say their own personal ideas. Everyone was then asked to discuss solutions.

Although the event enabled different people to discuss regeneration plans in a positive atmosphere, the cost was considerable. The partnership had to pay £20,000 for the event in addition to finding extensive sponsorship.

Janet Reece also pointed out that the consultants' report on the discussions contained 'incompatible objectives'. "A drawback was that people's dreams weren't tested for feasibility," she said.

Many councils are exploring different ways of involving their residents. For example, Lewisham Council has been exploring how information technology can enable them to consult residents through its Dialogue project, funded by a £120,000 European grant.

In September of last year 65 members of the authority's citizens' panel, (a demographically representative sample of local people), were invited to participate in a computerised debate on providing residential care for an ageing population.

The debate took place over one month using internet links between panel members and the council+s partners, local authorities in Sweden and Italy. A special website was created where participants were able to leave messages to each other and access fact files on their discussion topic.

People of different ages took part and computer training was offered to those who needed it. Younger people were encouraged to look forward to when they would be old and to think about what kind of housing they would want.

The views gathered during the discussion were used to form the council's housing strategy for older people. Stella Clarke, policy officer at Lewisham Council explained: "We developed new ways of consulting people and participants on the project built up contact with each other on e-mail. It is about empowering people to take part in their community."

Mandy Dillaway took part in the discussions on the internet. As a wheelchair user she found it difficult to attend council meetings. "I can+t get out like other people. This was marvellous because I didn+t have to make an effort to go to a council meeting. I could do it from home."

Through the project Mandy has become very interested in consultation and is now involved in GALA, a further project that is looking at ways of collecting information and presenting it to the public.

Mandy Dillaway also said she learnt more about council processes and felt that the project improved relationships between the council and its residents.

"The fact that Lewisham council is taking the trouble to ask people what they think through the dialogue project and the citizens' panel shows they care," she said.