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Community Consultation Policy

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DETAILS Council Admin

Effective from: February 2016 Contact officer: Manager, Corporate Planning and Performance Next review date: February 2018 File reference: LG449/171/01 iSpot #

This policy 23050984 Value Proposition 43312829

OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES Objectives • create a culture and capacity within Council of the City of

Gold Coast (Council) that facilitates community consultation in our work

• reduce corporate risk from project delays by monitoring and coordinating community consultation activity

• provide equitable and representative opportunities for community consultation

• ensure that Council consistently works with the community so that issues and concerns are understood and considered in all relevant Council decision making

• improve (and measure) community awareness of and satisfaction with Council by building a more positive image and enhancing the reputation of the organisation

• inform the community about Council's future initiatives and enhance community confidence, support for and involvement in these programs

• improve Council's understanding and management of community needs in all community consultation projects through the development of tailored community consultation and communication plans and reports

• implement innovative and diverse consultation techniques that enhance community capacity to participate in community consultation

Performance measures • % of community consultation projects that comply with policy • % of community consultation reports that contain clear

analysis of the community input and the Council’s decision making process

Risk assessment Medium

POLICY STATEMENT Council is committed to:

• actively engaging the community in building a sustainable city • improving our understanding of community needs • improving our response to community needs • providing the community with the opportunity to have a say about decisions that affect their lives.

Council decisions are enhanced as a result of community consultation/engagement. Consideration must be given to the varying levels of consultation the community can and will have in Council projects. These levels vary from the community being kept informed about Council projects or events through to the community being charged with complete decision making responsibility. It is important that the decision on which level the community will be consulted be made early and clearly communicated to all stakeholders.

A manual has been prepared to guide the implementation of this policy and is to be used at the discretion of the project manager/delegate.



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Council community consultation project managers/delegates must forward a consultation summary of approximately one page, to the Manager Corporate Planning and Performance detailing:

1. PLANNING THE PROCESS – PROJECT BACKGROUND 2. IDENTIFYING THE PARTICIPANTS AND LOCALITY / AREA AFFECTED 3. CONSULTATION LEVELS – IDENTIFY WHETHER THE PROJECT WILL HAVE LOW, MEDIUM

OR HIGH COMMUNITY IMPACT 4. CONSULTATION METHODS TO BE USED 5. COMMUNITY INPUT, FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION CONSIDERATIONS 6. COSTS AND STAFFING OF THE PROJECT 7. FINAL CHECKS – RAISING COUNCILLOR AWARENESS OF THE PROJECT

Prior to any formal public surveys being undertaken as part of community consultation (or any other activity), a Council resolution is required in accordance with G07.0622.025 (“That Councillors be informed prior to any further surveys being undertaken, with information being provided such as who is undertaking the survey, and what questions are being asked”). It is accepted that any changes to the policy that assist in 'operationalising' the intent are taken on board for subsequent revisions/updates”.

Caretaker Period

Surveys, blogs, invitations to put forward submissions, and other community activities should be avoided during the caretaker period. However, community engagement may continue if it is part of an ongoing project that requires the engagement as part of approved works. Where community engagement has occurred before the caretaker period but the report has not yet proceeded to Council, results of the consultation will not be provided to Council until the caretaker period has concluded.

SCOPE The scope of this policy includes, but is not limited to:

• Strategic and Town Plan consultations eg. Corporate Plan, Planning Scheme, Local Area Plans, and Public Infrastructure Provisions

• local law consultations • economic development, major projects and surveys • master plan consultations for parks, beaches, waterways, and conservation areas • general community attitudinal surveys • transport planning • infrastructure delivery including maintenance works for example roads, stormwater, water, waste

water, and waste • social research, cultural, libraries and heritage consultations • public surveys

This policy applies to all ‘official’ community consultation undertaken by councillors, Council employees and contractors.

DEFINITIONS Community consultation – providing opportunities for people who are affected by, or interested in, a Council decision or directorate initiative, to participate in the activity and or the decision making process in order to enhance the final outcome. Official consultation – consultation that is formed as part of a specific project, rather than as a general ongoing community attitude and awareness survey that is not otherwise required to be formally recognised under this Policy. IAP2 – International Association of Public Participation.



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Consultation level – A successful community consultation defines the level of influence the community will have in the consultation. The model on page 4 of the attached manual defines the increasing levels of community influence in a spectrum: inform, participate, involve, collaborate and empower. Community consultation report – prepared at completion of the project and including a community input summary, consideration of input, impact on decision making and costs. Council – Council of the City of Gold Coast

This policy does not require a community consultation plan summary (that uses the seven steps above) for the first spectrum level: ‘inform’ where Council is only communicating to the community and not inviting community feedback to enhance a decision or outcome

RELATED POLICIES AND DELEGATIONS Customer Contact Policy Equitable Access Policy External Communications Policy Right to Information and Information Provision Policy Social Media Policy

LEGISLATION Local Government Act 2009 - Chapter 1 Section 4 – Principles Right to Information Act 2009 Information Privacy Act 2009

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS Accessible and Inclusive City Action Plan 2014-2019

RESPONSIBILITIES Sponsor Chief Operating Officer Owner Manager, Corporate Planning and Performance

VERSION CONTROL Document Date Approved

Amendment

23050984 v6 18.05.16 iSpot #55006106 Minor corrections

23050984 v5 12.02.16 COO #53728256 Minor corrections

23050984 v4 01.12.15 GA15.1126.010/G15.1201.019 Major change – caretaker period

23050984 v3 20.10.08 GF08.1015.004/G08.1020.021 New policy

Community Consultation Policy Attachment A – Conduct of Public Surveys

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Project managers/delegates preparing a public survey must

inform Corporate Planning and Performance Branch (to ensure no duplication of surveys occurs across Council etc.)

prepare the report to be provided to Council, via the project manager’s director In considering the need for public surveys, project managers (and ultimately their directors) should apply the following questions to public surveys: If a survey is deemed appropriate by the project manager/delegate, a brief report to Council will be prepared by the project manager / delegate. The Team Leader, Community Research and Engagement, Corporate Communications Branch is available to assist the preparation of the report if requested.

After Council approves the survey, the project manager/delegate may then provide a letter of legitimacy to the surveyors. The surveyor can then show or discuss the letter, upon request, to survey recipients.

If requested, the Team Leader, Community Research and Engagement, Corporate Communications Branch may then provide the project manager/delegate with an up to date list of appropriate market research companies for consideration.

Survey outcomes/results must be forwarded to the Team Leader, Community Research and Engagement, Corporate Communications Branch, so that a record of survey activity and results can be maintained/tracked.

Surveys not progressed to Council All official Council surveys must be submitted to Council with the exception of surveys of a routine operational nature. Surveys of an operational nature may be submitted to Council only once prior to 2012. The decision regarding whether a survey is of operational nature will be made by the Chief Operating Officer.

Is a survey required?

Or, is there a cost effective alternative (e.g. interviews, workshops, meetings)?

Should consultancy deliver survey? Can Council staff deliver the survey cost effectively? Small surveys might be best delivered internally.

These considerations are based on project objectives and cost effectiveness.

Which is the most cost effective consultancy?

Costs may be reduced even further via an assessment of past and current surveys that might achieve similar objectives.

Community Consultation Policy Attachment B – Responsibilities


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DIRECTORATES / PROJECT MANAGERS • Actively consider community consultation in all activities.

• As part of the annual budget process, all directorates are to consider and include in project budget

estimates provision for an appropriate level or levels of community consultation in accordance with this policy. Directorates are required to adequately plan and liaise with the Manager, Corporate Planning and Performance early in the budget preparation process to ensure consultations are scheduled and procurement options adequately addressed. Additional costs associated with the inclusion of detailed community consultation are accepted by Council as part of the overall project cost. The Asset Custodian must approve, in consultation with the Manager Corporate Planning and Performance, the level of consultation.

• For each Council project, the project manager/delegate may discuss and agree with the Manager

Corporate Planning and Performance:

o the potential/requirement for community consultation • it may be triggered by: legislative requirement; significant impacts on economic, social

or environmental lifestyle which could cause community anxiety; or where community input is requested by community or Council; or where previous consultation is out of date and new information is required

o At the detailed planning stage of the consultation, discuss the level of community consultation

required for each stakeholder group

• The project manager/delegate must provide a one page community consultation plan summary to the Manager Corporate Planning and Performance. This plan summary should be prepared prior to or during the preparation of the Project Management Plan (PMP) if a PMP is required.

• The community consultation report must be prepared by the project manager/delegate (or the

consultancy) at completion of the consultation and include a community input summary, project manager's/delegate’s consideration of input and impact on decision making. It must show the approximate consultation cost and be displayed in prominent location(s): on GC Have Your Say Site (via the Team Leader, Community Research and Engagement, Corporate Communications Branch) and could be displayed in Council’s administration building and/or libraries (community consultation reports for libraries must be bound). Reports for public display must not include community contact details without prior consent.

• The Council Resolution (about the project, not the initial survey report) and community consultation

report is to be forwarded to the Team Leader, Community Research and Engagement, Corporate Communications Branch for display on the GC Have Your Say Site.

• To manage for delayed processes and where the community is expecting/waiting on project delivery,

project updates must be provided on the GC Have Your Say Site. These should occur at least six monthly until construction or other project implementation is completed.

Community Consultation Policy Attachment B – Responsibilities


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MANAGER CORPORATE PLANNING AND PERFORMANCE

• On request, provides advice, support and training to directorate staff on best practice in relation to community consultation.

• Consults with Directors about random audits of consultancy activities. • Assists asset custodians early in budget identification stages to decide an overall consultation level;

and later (during detailed project planning stage) advises managers/delegates regarding level of consultation required/appropriate for each stakeholder group.

• Responsible for updating the State Governments’ Community Consultation Index. Council contributes

to the Queensland State Government community consultation index and has access to the index to scan for clashes that might be caused by consultations from three levels of government.

• Continues discussion and planning with directorates on capacity / resourcing to implement the

objectives of this policy. Where resources are available, the Manager Corporate Planning and Performance coordinates:

o training

o facilitation of public meetings

o provision of checklists, materials and support as needed

o facilitation of discussion around what works well, what didn't work well and how to do it better next time through the provision of checklists, training, materials and support as needed

o the project closure phase of the MIDGF framework which triggers evaluation, will also specifically include consultation performance as well as other typical indicators such as time, cost, quality etc. Random audits will become a feature used to support good consultation

o availability to be called in to project manager/delegate offices (time permitting) to provide guidance throughout the existing manual steps.

MANAGER, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

• Registers all community consultation summaries

• Provides guidance to ensure consistency with other Council surveys and with survey standards

• Assesses the suitability of community consultation reports prior to public display

• Oversees administration of the GC Have Your Say Site

Community Consultation Policy Attachment C – Community Consultation Manual

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1 What’s this manual about and how can it help you? ...................................................................... 2

1.1 Purpose of this manual ................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 What’s in this manual .................................................................................................................. 2

2 Community consultation – an overview ............................................................................................ 2 2.1 What is community consultation? ................................................................................................ 2

2.1.1 Terminology .................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Council's commitment to community consultation .......................................................................3 2.3 Core values for the practice of community consultation .............................................................. 3 2.4 When to engage the community .................................................................................................. 3 2.5 Levels of community consultation................................................................................................ 4

2.5.1 Community consultation spectrum.................................................................................. 5 2.6 Outcomes and benefits of community consultation ..................................................................... 5

3 The steps in designing and implementing your community consultation process ..................... 7 3.1 Step 1 – Planning the process..................................................................................................... 8

3.1.1 Is community consultation appropriate? ......................................................................... 8 3.1.2 Prepare a community consultation plan.......................................................................... 9 3.1.3 Define the objectives of the community consultation process ........................................ 9

3.2 Step 2 – Identifying the participants .......................................................................................... 10 3.2.1 Who should we involve when engaging the community? ............................................. 10 3.2.2 Developing a comprehensive list of stakeholders ........................................................ 10 3.2.3 Stakeholder summary table .......................................................................................... 11 3.2.4 Stakeholder summary table for Alliance and Partnership projects ............................... 11

3.3 Step 3 – Decide the appropriate level of involvement ............................................................... 12 3.3.1 Community consultation spectrum................................................................................ 13 3.3.2 Expectations regarding level of involvement ................................................................ 13

3.4 Step 4 – Applying consultation techniques to guiding levels ..................................................... 16 3.4.1 Technique framework ................................................................................................... 16 3.4.2 Community consultation techniques ............................................................................. 17 3.4.3 Selecting the most appropriate techniques .................................................................. 17

3.5 Step 5 – Raising awareness about your consultation project .................................................. 19 3.5.1 Communication principles for community consultation ................................................. 19 3.5.2 Communication methods and the media .......................................................................... 3.5.3 Selecting communication methods ............................................................................... 19

3.6 Step 6 – Using community input, feedback and evaluation ...................................................... 22 3.6.1 Compile information for decision-making ..................................................................... 22 3.6.2 Report back to participants ........................................................................................... 23 3.6.3 Evaluate the process and outcomes............................................................................. 23

3.7 Step 7 – Resourcing the process ................................................................................................. 3.7.1 Developing a budget ......................................................................................................... 3.7.2 Define roles and responsibilities ....................................................................................... 3.7.3 Finalise the community consultation plan and develop your work schedule ....................

3.8 Finally ........................................................................................................................................ 28 3.8.1 The last check ............................................................................................................... 28

Appendix 1 – IAP2 public participation toolbox ....................................................................................... 29 Appendix 2 – Participant feedback form ................................................................................................... 40 Appendix 3 – Community consultation attendees registration form .....................................................41 Appendix 4 – Have Your Say Site form ...................................................................................................... 42



Community Consultation Manual

WHAT’S THIS MANUAL ABOUT AND HOW CAN IT HELP YOU?

PURPOSE OF THE MANUAL

This manual has been prepared as a practical manual to assist you in understanding what’s involved in designing and implementing the community consultation component of any Council project, plan or strategy. Hopefully this manual will encourage you to consider the level of community participation required prior to work commencing.

The processes outlined in the manual will provide you with the information you need to effectively plan and achieve meaningful exchanges with the community.

There is no ‘prescription’ for successful community consultation. This manual provides a solid foundation for community consultation, building on previous experience and drawing on best practice in the field. The best community consultation processes will use the principles and tools set out in this manual to tailor community consultation for each individual project or situation.

This manual provides different levels of detail for different users and encompasses different types of consultation from single events to more complex programs which run over many months.

WHAT’S IN THE MANUAL

This manual takes you through the necessary steps in designing, implementing and evaluating a community consultation. Each step will guide you through the following:

Principles – to guide your thinking and practice

Processes – that guide your approach to each step

Possible key tasks – that will help you work through each step

Checklists – helpful lists to assist you in each step

Worksheets – to assist you to think through and record the information you need to design and implement your community consultation process.

Consultation plan requirements

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION – AN OVERVIEW

WHAT IS COMMUNITY CONSULTATION?

Community consultation provides opportunities for people who are affected by or interested in a Council decision, plan or project to participate in the decision-making process in order to improve the outcome.

The community consultation process involves:

Stakeholders representing different sectors of society

Technical specialists

Authorities and

Project proponents

Working together in a joint effort to produce better decisions than if they acted independently.



Effective community consultation: Involves people from the beginning

Proactively solicits the involvement of stakeholders representing all three diamensions of sustainability (economic growth, social equity and ecological integrity)

Provides them with sufficient and accessible information to contribute meaningfully

Builds the capaciy of stakeholders to participate.

Good community consultation acknowledges the desire of humans to participate in decisions which affect them.

Terminology The process which facilitates the opportunity for affected and interested people to participate in order to improve the outcome (defined above) is known as “community consultation” within Council. The Queensland Government also refers to this process as community consultation.

However this term is not consistent throughout the rest of the state, country or the world and the process we know as community consultation is also commonly referred to as “public participation”, and “community involvement.” These terms are all essentially describing the same process and can be, and are, used interchangeably.

COUNCIL'S GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY CONSULTATION

The following Guiding Principles to the development, implementation and evaluation of a community consultation process are recommended.

High Level Principle:

1. The community should have the opportunity to have input into activities or decisions that potentially affect their lives.

Supporting Principles:

2. The community's input will be considered during the decision making process.

3. Via the community consultation process, we will demonstrate respect for the community's opinion by actively listening to their concerns and issues.

4. The community consultation process will provide participants with sufficient options and the information they need to participate in a meaningful way.

5. The community consultation process will communicate how participants input affected the final decision.

Confidentiality:

Where Council is required to consult the community, staff must respect the intellectual property of those involved and the confidentiality of the project’s circumstances. For example, landowners always seek confidentiality when Council is considering resuming land or acquiring property. If land may be resumed the land owner must be contacted prior to informing others in the community more generally at public displays. The specific details of a land owner’s interests in the project should not be discussed outside of the project. For all projects, when we consult the community about potential impacts on their business or social lifestyle, we must always:

• treat any documentation received with due care, e.g. property plans or feedback at meetings or during workshops must be discussed only with those affected or with staff involved in the Project.

• endeavour to contact affected community / land owners first, prior to informing others in the community.



WHEN TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY

To ensure the best outcomes community consultation should extend throughout the life of a project, rather than as a ‘one-off’ exercise. It should begin early in the planning stage.

There are very few Council plans or strategies that will not have an impact on one or more sectors of the community. Therefore most Council projects need to consider some level of community involvement (refer to section 3.1.1 of this manual for a checklist to help determine if community consultation is appropriate for your project).

LEVELS OF COMMUNITY CONSULTATION

The following spectrum adapted from the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) summarises the various levels of community consultation. This spectrum forms the foundation for all Council community consultation activities.

Community participation could be as simple as a community information campaign right through to a more in-depth process which facilitates community consultation in the decision-making process. Refer to section 3.3 of this manual to assist you in making these decisions.



Community Consultation Spectrum

I N F O R M P A R T I C I P A T E I N V O L V E C O L L A B O R A T E E M P O W E R

Community consultation goal:





To provide the community with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, benefits and/or solutions.

To obtain community feedback on policy, plans and/or designs. Council obtain this feedback via provision of policy, plans, and / or designs.

To work directly with the community throughout the process to ensure that community concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.

To partner with the community in each aspect of the decision including the development of alternatives and the identification of the preferred solution.

To place final decision-making in the hands of the community, for direct conveyance to elected representatives.

Council’s community commitment:

Council's community commitment:

Council’s community commitment:



We will keep you informed.

We will keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how community input influenced the decision.

We will work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are directly reflected in the alternatives developed and provide feedback on how community input influenced the decision.

We will look to you for direct advice and innovation in formulating solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible and provide feedback on how community input influenced the decision.

We will implement what you decide and provide feedback on how community input influenced the decision.

This model is based on the Public Participation Spectrum (IAP2).

Outcomes and benefits of community consultation

When we clearly understand the benefits of community consultation we can link our objectives for the community consultation process with the outcomes we are striving to achieve.

The key benefit of community consultation is to improve or enhance outcomes through more informed decisions. Effective community consultation includes all perspectives. Multiple perspectives contribute to a richer understanding of the scope of the decision, which often results in more creative and acceptable decision alternatives being generated.

Good community consultation facilitates triple bottom line decision-making (sustainable decisions) because it facilitates consideration of all perspectives in the outcome.

B A L A N C I N G C O M M U N I T Y A N D G O V E R N M E N T I N P U T



Sustainable decisions are those that maximise benefits, minimise negative impacts, satisfy a wide range of stakeholders. They consider historical interests, present trends and future possibilities. Other benefits of community consultation include:

Builds community understanding of the need for a proposed project, plan or strategy and leads to better and more durable decisions

Creates trust in Council and our processes and helps secure understanding and support for our strategic priorities

Provides an early warning system for community concerns and provides us with the opportunity to adapt our activitiy before implementation begins, thus reducing costly project delays

Builds community ownership of our project, plan or strategy

Creates opportunities for stakeholders to discuss their differences directly, often leading to creative new solutions

Manages single-issue viewoints through an interactive process which allows a broad range of balancing perspectives and values

Enriches decision-making through a diversity of opinion incorporating the local and traditional knowledge and collective wisdom of a range of stakeholders

Serves as a sounding board for proposed projects, plans and strategies and builds legitimacy for decisions that allows them to withstand organisational change

Past Future

Present

Sustainable Decisions are represented at the core of this model

Social / Cultural Economic

Environment

Degree of participation in a decision

Degree of support for decision



THE STEPS IN PREPARING, IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATING YOUR COMMUNITY CONSULTATION

This section of the manual takes you through eight steps to prepare, implement and evaluate a community consultation. The following table separates discussion from consultation plan content.

Step 1 Planning the process Is community consultation appropriate? Determining whether to consult Preparation of the Consultation Plan Define the objectives

Project summary Objectives Guiding principles

STEPS IN THE POLICY MANUAL CONSULTATION PLAN OVERVIEW

Step 2 Identifying participants and locality

Who should be involved? Developing a comprehensive stakeholder list Identifying the stakeholder interests

Stakeholders, issues and interest levels

Council roles and responsibilities

Step 3 Deciding on a consultation level Community consultation spectrum Identifying expectations for consultation

level (community and Council) Identifying stakeholder-group consultation

levels (community and Council )

Identify a whole of project consultation level

Identify stakeholder-group consultation levels

Step 5 Communication in the consultation project

Communication principles for consultation Identifying communication methods Selecting appropriate communication

methods

Incorporate your marketing and media requirements by contacting Corporate Planning & Performance Branch

Identify methods for raising awareness of your consultation

Step 6 Using Input, Feedback and Evaluation Compile information to input into decision-

making Report back to participants Evaluate process and outcomes

Plan for weekly briefings of the project team via email or meetings

Plan a consultation report that shows community input, its impact on decision making and consultation cost

Step 7 Resourcing the process

Defining roles and responsibilities Finalising Consultation Plan and

developing a work schedule

Include a budget for each of the above actions

Step 8 Final Checks

The final check before commencing

Divisional Councillor awareness and input

Step 4 Applying techniques to consultation levels

Categorise techniques within the community participation spectrum

Selecting the most appropriate techniques Ensuring inclusiveness

Identify one consultation level for each nominated stakeholder group

Identify the preferred consultation techniques for each stakeholder group



STEP 1 – PLANNING THE PROCESS

Careful design and preparation is a key to successful community consultation. In this phase of the process we must determine whether we should be involving the community and to what level. We must then identify the decision to be made, the objectives of the process, who to involve, and how to use the input received.

To successfully engage the community we must ensure:

All participants and stakeholders are clear about the purpose, objectives and the decision to be made

The roles and interests of all participants are defined and communicated

The topics on the table for discussion are clearly defined as are the topics which are ‘off-limits’

The community is able to influence and make changes to the processes in which they are involved

The level of community influence is clearly defined and understood by all participants.

Is community consultation appropriate? The need for community consultation and the desired level of consultation must be decided for each case. The main reason to involve the community is when you want input to positively influence Council decisions which will in turn engender community support. There is a range of ‘triggers’ designed to help us decide whether we should, or should not, be consulting the community.

Checklist - Triggers to determine whether the community should be involved

Is there a legislative requirement for community involvement e.g. Local Government Act?

Does the policy require community involvement? The policy states that community consultations are required when the project will impact upon community or business lifestyle, e.g. impacts visual amenity, sound environment or property of a community member.

Has Council asked for community input on this decision or similar ones in the past?

Has the community requested the opportunity to be involved?

Do we need to better understand community values and priorities in relation to this project, plan or strategy?

Will our decision-making capacity be significantly improved with input from the community?

Will the outcome have significant social, environmental and/or economic sustainability impacts for one or more stakeholders?

Is there already – or will there be – media and/or community concerns/expectations (eg. from past experiences) about this issue?

Is this a complex or difficult case with widely divergent alternatives and views to consider?

Does the community need to be informed about what we’re doing/planning, as part of the consultation?

Is this a policy or strategy that has not previously (within 2 years) been consulted on?

If the answer to one or more of the above questions is ‘yes’ some form of community consultation should be undertaken. Refer to section 3.3 to decide what level.



Prepare a community consultation plan Now that the decision has been made that some level of community consultation is required, a detailed community consultation plan needs to be prepared before we commence implementation and begin involving the community. Requirements for the consultation plan are identified on page 6 above. Completing the processes outlined in this manual will assist in the preparation of the community consultation plan. A community consultation plan outline is also provided in the Community Consultation Policy.

Define the objectives of the community consultation process For our community consultation to be effective we need to clearly define what we hope to achieve before we go to the community – or the program may be seen as uncoordinated, insincere or lacking support.

Our purpose defines the scope of the community consultation and can be about:

Gathering information, options and ideas

Facilitating coordination, cooperation and collaboration

Establishing negotiation processes, developing ideas, options or decisions, reducing conflict

Ensuring all sectors of the community are given the opportunity to provide input

Objectives need to be:

Specific

Measurable

Action-oriented

Realistic

Timely

Agreed

SMARTA objectives are most often those that can also be implemented and evaluated. To ensure that the community has accurate expectations, we need to communicate our objectives at the outset, throughout the process and at the completion to report on whether our objectives have been achieved. Community misunderstandings about the scope and limitations of community consultation processes can lead to frustration, disillusionment and controversy.

When establishing objectives for the community consultation process consider how they will be evaluated during, and at the completion, of the process.

Checklist – Objectives

Objectives include: To involve and empower community in plan, design or policy making To collect information from those most affected to inform decision making To identify priorities and increase support for a decision To inform community about a decision making process To seek community input on long term direction To help decision makers to access or allocate resources To improve community relationships To identify service improvements To give minority, excluded, or marginalised groups a say To improve the Council’s reputation or image To meet a statutory requirement



To participate in resolving a conflict of interests To discover the extent of an interest or demand To test an idea or a marketing opportunity

STEP 2 – IDENTIFYING THE PARTICIPANTS

The following steps will help identify who should be engaged in our process. Our goal should always be to hear from the broadest possible range of voices and views, striving for diversity, balance and equity.

It is always helpful to identify geographic boundaries for the community consultation process before identifying the participants.

Who should we involve when engaging the community? When engaging the community we will achieve the greatest success if we give everyone affected by, or interested in, our decision the chance to have a say. People who are affected by or interested in our decisions generally fall into the following categories:

Their work or personal lives, or the lives of their families or friends, will be affected

They live close to the location of a proposed project or activity

Their business may be affected

Their organisations and their activiites could be affected

They may have to change a regular activity, habit or route

Their values, interests or opinons cause them to care about a decision

Developing a comprehensive list of stakeholders Stakeholders are those with an interest in or who may potentially be impacted by the outcome. There are many ways to identify stakeholders. Here is one approach recommended by IAP2:

1. Ask key members of the community, who represent a range of anticipated perspectives, who they think will be interested in the issues. Seek out:

o Community leaders o Community organisations o Organisations that have conducted community consultation in the past

2. Identify organised groups and individuals who might be interested in the potential impacts and controversy that have been identified:

o People living near any proposed actions o People who use potentially impacted resources o People who have expressed interest in this or similar issues o Local activists o Local community groups o Non-profit groups with associated interests o Potentially responsible parties o Local industries/business o Farmers o Tourism

o Educational institutions



3. Identify any groups that may be difficult to reach:

o Indigenous people

o Potentially affected indiviiduals who are unlikely to find out about the issues

o People who may be specifically impacted based on culture, ethnicity or socioeconomic class

o Any groups with a potential equity concern

o People with “special needs”, such as dialysis patients, the hearing- or sight-impaired or people who don’t speak English

4. Identify groups and individuals that may not typically be thought of as being part of the community:

o Elected officials

o Government agencies

o Media

o Internal stakeholders

While conducting preliminary consultation with key stakeholders it is also worth asking for their views on:

The best ways to involve their communities of interest in the community consultation process

What level of information and what types, depth and frequency of involvement they feel would be most effective

Stakeholder summary table

STAKEHOLDER (NAME, ORGANISATION

OR CATEGORY)

LIKELY INTERESTS, CONCERNS OR POSITIONS

LEVEL OF INTEREST – HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW

Stakeholder summary table for Alliance and Partnership projects

STAKEHOLDER

STAKEHOLDER’S NEED

STAKEHOLDER’S EXPECTATION

POTENTIAL IMPACT ON PROJECT C

ON

SEQ

UEN

CE

LIK

ELIH

OO

D

RA

NK

ING

TREATMENT MEASURE

STA

KEH

OLD

ER

CA

TEG

OR

Y



Checklist - Potential stakeholder interests, concerns or positions For the stakeholder categories you have identified you need to assess their primary interests and concerns relating to your project. These could include:

Livelihood, employment or lost productivity

Property value and property rights

Inconvenience by congestion or traffic

Local economic vitality

Overpopulation

Restricted freedom of choice

Personal health and safety and the health and safety of family members and loved ones

Impact on environmental health and integrity including endangered environmental resources

Nuisance issues such as noise, odour, traffic, dust

Property access

History of neglect or mistrust

Political controversy

Threats to community, cultural, religious, racial or gender identity

It is also important to understand and accept that some people or sectors of the community will not want to be involved for any number of reasons (limited time, competition for attention, cynicism, bad experiences, anxiety, feeling they would not be effective and, of course, not being interested in the topic). It is our responsibility to ensure all stakeholders are given the opportunity to participate (even if they’ve chosen not to participate in the past), and to accept the right of those members of the community who choose not to participate in our process.

STEP 3 – DECIDE THE WHOLE OF PROJECT CONSULTATION LEVEL

When deciding the appropriate level of community consultation it is important to determine the opportunity for influence the community is going to have – as identified through your objectives. From the outset it is therefore important to distinguish between:

Providing information

Community education

Community opportunity to influence decision making



Community consultation spectrum Adapted from the International Association for Public Participation

I N F O R M P A R T I C I P A T E I N V O L V E C O L L A B O R A T E E M P O W E R

Example techniques to consider:





Fact sheets Websites Open houses

Public comment Focus groups Surveys Public meetings

Workshops Deliberative

polling

Community advisory committees

Consensus building

Participatory decision-making

Citizen juries Ballots Delegated

decisions

It is important to note the IAP2 public participation spectrum indicates increasing levels of public impact. It is not always the case that if you select ‘involve’ that you would also participate and inform. It is possible to have differing guiding levels for different stakeholder groups, say involving and informing without ‘participating’. This is a noted difference to IAP2 practice; however Councils are flexible about this. Also, levels of consultation change throughout the consultation – it is important to update your consultation plan for longer projects.

From your initial assessment and review of the public participation spectrum, determine what you think will be the appropriate whole of project level of community consultation. The following exercises will help you refine this assessment.

Expectations regarding level of involvement An essential ingredient in a successful community consultation process is clearly defining and communicating, from the outset, the level of influence the community will have in your project, plan or strategy. Community expectations regarding an appropriate level for their input may differ to Council’s or Gold Coast City Council’s expectations.

Community Expectations Worksheet It is important to assess the degree to which the community considers the issue significant. The following table presents one way to think about the issue. The questions may be modified to help gauge the level of community concern.

All questions in the following table should be answered from the perspective of the community and so you should consider your responses to 3.2.3 in your thinking.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS VERY LOW

LOW MODER-ATE

HIGH VERY HIGH

1. What is the probable level of difficulty in solving the problem?

2. What is the level of existing controversy, conflict or outrage on this or related issues?

3. How significant are the potential impacts to the community?

4. How much do the major stakeholders care about this issue?

5. What degree of involvement does the community appear to desire?

Count number of checks in each column

The closer the score is to five, the higher the community expects their level of input to be on the public participation spectrum (Refer section 3.3.1).

B A L A N C I N G C O M M U N I T Y A N D G O V E R N M E N T I N P U T



Council's expectations worksheet We must also consider the internal issues related to getting community input. In particular, it is important to gauge the receptiveness of Council to community input and the resource level that will be available. The following table presents one way to think about these issues. Omit any questions that are not relevant.

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS VERY LOW

LOW MODER-ATE

HIGH VERY HIGH

1. How much input do you think Council needs from the community to help with the project?

2. To what degree does the community appear to want to be involved?

3. What is the potential for community impact on the potential decision?

4. How significant are the possible benefits of involving the community?

5. How serious are the potential ramifications or not involving the community?

6. What is the possibility that the media will become interested?

7. What is the likelihood that decision-makers will give full considerations to public input?

8. What is the likelihood that adequate resources will be made available to support community consultation?

9. What is the level of political controversy on this issue?

10. To what extent will the time required to involve the community impact on the project?

Count number of checks in each column

Using the results of the expectations worksheets We can use the results of the expectations worksheets to give us a general sense of the level of community consultation we should be undertaking.

Very Low to Low: work with stakeholder groups to identify a comprehensive stakeholder information program to satisfy community concerns and information needs.

Low to Moderate: community consultation is probably a good idea. Consider how the ‘consult’ level will work with the interests and issues of the community.

Moderate to High: Should consider community consultation at least at the ‘consult’ level and probably at the ‘involve’ level.

High to Very High: Evaluate how stakeholder issues and interests and internal considerations can best be accommodated at the ‘involve’ or higher level on the IAP2 spectrum.



Evaluate community and Council expectations of the appropriate consultation level

EXPECTATIONS OF THE KEY PARTICIPANTS INFORM CONSULT INVOLVE COLLABORATE

EMPOWER

1. What levels of community consultation do key stakeholders (community) desire and / or expect?

2. What level of community consultation do Council managers and technical staff support?

3. What levels of community consultation do Councillors support?

Add the scores from the above two tables

Multiply number of checks by the weight × 1 × 2 × 3 × 4 × 5

Enter column score

Add total of all five column scores

Divide total score by the number of questions /10

Average score

If the expected levels of community consultation are congruent among the key players, then select that level.

If Council expectations exceed the community expectations, select the level at which the community is willing to participate.

If Council will not support the level of community consultation desired by the public, then ask whether this level of community consultation is warranted by the potential impacts.

o If this level of community consultation is warranted, work with managers and other decision makers to gain acceptance. If the organistion is still not willing to support the needed level, select the highest level that is supported. Work with the community to meet their specific needs within this level of community consultation.

o If this level of community consultation does not appear to be warranted, are other issues driving the community’s desire for input? Are there other opportunities to address these issues?

With this level of understanding of the community’s and Council's needs, select the level of commmunity consultation that will best meet both the project’s and stakeholder’s needs. Ensure all stakeholders are aware of and understand the implications to them of the level of consultation selected.

Checklist – Ensuring inclusiveness in community consultation techniques

Balancing community and government input – Is the balance correct? Is community emotion/investment appropriately balanced against Council’s expert knowledge of objectives within a regional framework?

Have you included along with Council expectations the views of the Divisional Councillor and the views of Corporate Planning and Performance Branch who might provide an independent expert view on the project?



STEP 4 – APPLYING CONSULTATION TECHNIQUES TO CONSULTATION LEVELS

Now that we’ve identified our stakeholders and determined their level of involvement in the process, it’s time to decide the most effective strategies and techniques to use for one and two-way communication flow.

There are numerous traditional and innovative approaches and techniques for community consultation. If you have carefully defined the objectives and stakeholders of the community consultation process as well as the timeframe and resources, the choice of techniques should be straightforward.

You will get a good coverage of stakeholder groups through tailoring techniques to different stakeholders. Tailor the techniques to their issues, their availability and the stages of the process they want to participate in.

Technique framework A limited number of formats are available for conducting community consultation. The techniques we select can:

Share information

Bring people together

Collect input and provide feedback

Each format can be used at a different level of the spectrum as shown in the following technique framework. These are not exhaustive however.

SPECTRUM OBJECTIVE

WHAT WE DO FORMAT OPTIONS TECHNIQUES

Inform Promote awareness and educate

Share information Awareness Campaigns

Fliers, advertising, kiosks, brochures, videos, displays

Information / Education Campaigns

On-site offices, information centres, fact sheets, technical reports, newsletters, websites, television

Bring people together Open Public Forums

Tours, symposia

Participate Seek broad-based input / feedback


Open houses, fairs and events

Stakeholder Sessions / Processes

Briefings, study circles


Individual Inquiries

Questionnaires, comment forms, interviews, focus groups, hotlines

Secondary Research

Surveys



Involve Foster meaningful discussion


Workshops, Samoan circle, world café, town meetings


Delphi process, dialogue technique

Collaborate Facilitate consensus Bring people together Ongoing Advisory Groups

Advisory committees, reference groups, community working groups, task forces, etc. (many different terms)


Design charrettes, computer decision support processes, consensus conferences, fishbowl planning, future search, appreciative inquiry, citizen juries

Empower Provide effective forum for public decisions

Bring people together Authorised Panels1


Voting

* Based on the IAP2 model

Community consultation techniques The community consultation toolbox attached in Appendix 1 provides a comprehensive overview of a number of tried and tested techniques for engaging the community, outlining key considerations for various techniques and the advantages and disadvantages for each.

This toolbox is a useful resource for the following section on technique selection.

Selecting the most appropriate techniques When selecting techniques we need to consider:

Inclusiveness

Convenience

Community motivation

Diversity and creativity (ie. Instead of relying on familiar and overused techniques incorporate fun and innovation to encourage participation. Ideas include street parties, breakfasts, scale models, colourful graphics, signage, music and art)

Decide the specific level of involvement for each stakeholder group according to level of interest From your consideration of stakeholder interests in 3.2.3 (or 3.2.4) and the summary table in 3.3.2.5 identify guiding levels for the following stakeholder groups. This will help to allocate methods appropriately e.g. to the groups most in need of more personalised consultation service, or more empowerment. 1 Authorised Panels are required by Queensland local government legislation to forward their recommendations to Council for final decision making.



STAKEHOLDER

(CATEGORY, AND NAME OR ORGANISATION) INFORM CONSULT INVOLVE COLLABO-

RATE EM

POWER

1. Directly affected stakeholders 2. Indirectly affected stakeholders

3. The community in the vicinity of the project

4. The remaining community

5. Representative group for all stakeholder interests e.g. Community Reference Group(s), Consultative Committee(s) (where applicable)

Allocate consultation techniques according to level of interest

STAKEHOLDER

(CATEGORY, AND NAME OR ORGANISATION) TECHNIQUES

1. Directly affected stakeholders 2. Indirectly affected stakeholders

3. The general community in the vicinity of the project

4. The remaining general community

5. Representative group for all stakeholder interests e.g. Consultative Committee(s) When techniques are being selected remember to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the techniques themselves. For example, some techniques take into consideration the present only, while others also consider the past and the future. Many techniques may be used across all three levels, whereas others are only appropriate to ‘empowerment’, ‘participation’, or informing’. Corporate Planning and Performance can help you to decide on the best consultation plan.

Checklist – Ensuring inclusiveness in community consultation techniques Timing – Is the timing convenient or appropriate? Are we asking people to give up too much of their time?

Place – Will participants feel comfortable about the place or venue? Is there adequate parking? Can people easily reach the venue using public transport?

Costs – Is child care required? Should expenses be paid in some cases? Can you reassure people they will not incur costs?

Age – Should you go to meet young people, older people at schools, clubs, homes etc. – rather than expect them to come to your event?

Literacy and formality – Will people be put off by the expectation of high levels of literacy and confidence … or the tone of the communication material?

Culture and diversity – Should literature be translated? What cultural factors might be relevant to the time and place of meetings, and the provision of refreshments?

Accessibility – Is the building accessible to people with disabilities?



STEP 5 – RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT YOUR CONSULTATION PROJECT

Once your consultation techniques are planned, you will need a means of inviting the community to participate. Community will need to be informed of the consultation through a variety of methods including advertising, the media, including through written communication techniques. Refer to Council’s Writing Guide for full information about stylistic writing and formatting issues.

Proactive, honest and ongoing two-way communication with the community will:

Assist in improving the overall relationship between Council and the community

Help the community understand our community consultation process

Increase our accountability for decision-making

Contribute to reducing the negative impacts of contentious community consultation exercises

At the outset your communication goal should be to develop the opportunity for an open exchange of information so that people can make informed judgements in a meaningful way.

Communication principles for community consultation Communication must inform and update internal and external stakeholders

Communication also regularly reiterates the basics of the process, such as, the timeframe, decision milestones, progress to date, and upcoming opportunities for involvement

All communication processes are effective, inclusive and cover all necessary issues

The language of all written communication is clear, concise and objective with minimal (appropriate) use of jargon

Communication materials address relevant existing policy and procedure, hisorty of the issues and past Council initiatives, and alternative approaches to resolving issues and their respective advantages and disadvantages

All forms of media are used regularly to provide general information to the public at large

Information or feedback is distributed regularly to those involved in the process and, at intervals, is also broadly distributed to anyone potentially interested

Communication methods and the media Council has a multitude of communication options available for it to utilise. The community consultation teams will be able to recommend the most appropriate communication mediums for the project, plan or strategy. Communication options are multiple and varied and include:



COMMUNICATION MEDIUM

EXAMPLE KEY CONSIDERATIONS

Internal audience

Intranet Council's intranet Information accessible only to people with computers

Internal written communication

Memo’s

Council newsletter

Distribution either electronically or via internal mail

Email Create your own or utilise an established email forum

Accessible only to people with computers

Noticeboards Various places throughout Council buildings including kitchens, canteen, bathrooms, corridors

Effective way to ensure broad awareness of messages

Project information sheets Newsletters

Fact sheets

Effective for communicating detailed or complex information

Presentations Branch managers Broad communication medium allows for two-way flow of information

Meetings Team meetings

DCC

Tailored and personal. May become repetitive

Personal, face-to-face communication one-on-one

Informal corridor conversations

Scheduled meetings

Quick and tailored messaging

Reports Corporate Plan

Annual Report

Information has a long shelf life

External audience

Media relations Media releases

Media briefings

Photo opportunities

No guarantee information will be published

Mayor’s column Every Saturday in the Gold Coast Bulletin

Personal opinion piece only

Internet www.goldcoastcity.com.au

Excellent for providing detailed information yet not accessible to 100% of the community



Print advertising Gold Coast Bulletin Gold Coast Sun Gold Coast Mail Daily Mail Albert and Logan News Tweed Times Local Newsletters

Best medium for delivering complex messages. Support material such as photos, tables, diagrams can be very useful

Radio advertising Sea FM

Gold FM

Hot Tomato

4CRB

Radio items tend to be very short, sharp pieces of information

Television Local stations: Prime, NBN, Ten Gold Coast

Metropolitan stations

High visual component. Airtime usually ranges from 30 to 60 seconds and there is less detail to the coverage

Free community service announcements

Print media

Radio

Television

Highly cost effective yet no guarantee of coverage / airplay

Corporate Council services On-hold messages

Council’s 2 page spread (GCSun)

Computer screen wallpaper

Cost effective and high reach communication options

Industry publications LGAQ monthly bulletin Effective medium for reaching industry audience

Business/Community Newsletters

Local Newsletters

Community publications

Cost-effective medium for reaching targeted audience

Project information sheets Newsletters

Fact sheets

Require appropriate distribution channels to be effective

Displays Council offices

Libraries

Shopping centres

Opportunity to present visual information

Community events

Community meetings / forums

Gold Coast Show

World Environment Day

Beenleigh Show

Personal interaction and opportunity for two-way information flow



Selecting communication methods You will be able to add written communication, electronic methods and the media to your planning process at this stage. Consider how you will invite community to your consultation and how you will keep them up to date during and after the consultation (looking ahead to the project works/implementation phase). From your consideration of 3.2.3 or 3.2.4 and 3.3.2.5 add techniques.

STAKEHOLDER

(CATEGORY, AND NAME OR ORGANISATION) WRITTEN AND OTHER TECHNIQUES

1. Directly affected stakeholders

2. Indirectly affected stakeholders

3. The general community in the vicinity of the project

4. The remaining general community

5. Representative group for all stakeholder interests e.g. Consultative Committee(s)

This may be used to assist your consultation plan and work schedule e.g. GANTT chart or activity plan.

STEP 6 – USING COMMUNITY INPUT, FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION

During the consultation implementation stage, if a consultancy is used, it is appropriate that they provide a weekly update to project managers, for communication with the whole project team and other internal stakeholders.

This is the final step in the process and will help ensure that the community input is utilised and fed back in an appropriate way. It will also provide guidance on how to review or evaluate both the techniques used and how effective the process was in producing a better outcome.

Compile information for decision-making

Community consultation includes the commitment that the public’s contribution will be used and they will be informed on how it was used. All data must be analysed, summarised and presented in a useful way to inform decision-makers.

Checklist – Things to consider in summarising information

How many people participated and from what area of interest/groups/residents/sectors

Name the differences in views/ideas from each area of interest

What degree of agreement/disagreement/tension surrounded the matter under consideration

Including the community consultation findings as part of the overall project report

Encourage timely and meaningful use of the community consultation information/data



Report back to participants

The community will have more confidence in the community consultation process if it is clear that information they provide will affect the outcome and will not be used inappropriately. For these reasons it is essential to provide feedback to participants and stakeholders on any information gained through the community consultation process and how this information was used in the decision-making process. A community consultation report is required and it should be composed of:

1. Clear headings identifying the main issues/aspects that you consulted the community about 2. Community input under each of the headings 3. A summary of the community input under each of the headings 4. The consideration of the community input for the final report to Council (a) whether community input under

the headings is included or not included and (b) why.

Checklist – Preparing feedback for participants Record the process and provide prompt feedback with demonstrates that participants have been heard

Provide contact points for further information

Identify when the participants will be informed on how their input was used

Acknowledge participants contribution in all processes

If there is a delay in the project, notify participants

Determine how information will be provided (eg. reports, internet, presentations), however a final reports for the Have Your Say Site is necessary (refer to Appendix 4).

Evaluate the process and outcomes Evaluation is an ongoing tool used to assess and improve the process as it moves forward. Evaluation is an important part of the community consultation process yet it is often overlooked. When evaluating it is important to review both how effective the community consultation was by the extent to which it led to a more informed decision, as well as the process (events or techniques) used.

Therefore there are two key aspects to evaluating the community consultation process. Firstly, evaluation by outcomes based on the objectives of the community consultation process and secondly evaluation of the process in line with the 8 step approach outlined in this manual.

Evaluation techniques The following list provides examples of techniques that are commonly used for reviewing stages of the process as well as the overall process.

Review by staff involved in the process

Feedback forms distributed to participants at workshops, displays or meetings (a template for this feedback form is attached in Appendix 2)

Measurement of participation levels throughout the process

Random survey of a sample of participants

Assessement of the perception of the community’s impact on the decision by participants, staff and decision-makers

Peer review where a practitioner who is not involved in the project provides feedback



Some common evaluation tools used to measure the above include questionnaires, formal surveys, interviews and debriefs.

During the community consultation process, use lots of informal feedback to keep things on track. Make a point of talking to both internal and external stakeholders on a routine basis to ask how they perceive the process and its outcomes.

Evaluating the process by your objectives In order to know if we have achieved our objectives, we need to evaluate the community consultation process against these objectives. There are a range of tools to measure the degree of success including:

Quantitative measures: for example number of participants, coverage of stakeholder groups, brochures distributed, responses received

Qualitative measures: for example number and range of views heard, degree of consensus, media coverage, avoidance of controversy

The success of each community consultation objective should be evaluated and the techniques for evaluating each objective should be considered in the planning stage of the process.

Evaluating the process by the 8 step approach The following questions will help evaluate the process used for designing and implementing a community consultation process (as described in the 8 steps in this manual). In the columns below each of the eight steps there is a statement of achievement for that step and questions which will help measure the community consultation process for each step.

STATEMENT OF ACHIEVEMENT

QUESTIONS TO HELP MEASURE

Step 1 – Planning the process

The credibility purpose and objectives of the community consultation process were clear to all participants.

Was the community consultation legitimate? Were the staff and participants clear about the objectives? To what

extent did all parties involved have similar goals and expectations of the process?

Were roles established and communicated to all participants? Was community consultation initiated early enough? Was there sufficient commitment to the process by Council and

decision-makers? Are we addressing the right issues from the perspective of staff, the

community and decision-makers?

Step 2 – Identifying participants

All stakeholders affected by the decision at hand had an equal opportunity to become involved in the community consultation process and a representative proportion of them chose to do so.

To what extent did interested parties participate in the process? What kind of opportunties did they have to do so? Was there the appropriate number?

Were there any barriers to access: phsyical, communication, economic, social … and how were they overcome?

Was participation representative? Did the process encourage the participation of all stakeholers including the ‘silent majority’? How was the influence of pressure groups handled in the process?

Were there other unrelated agendas handled? Were internal stakeholders adequately involved? Was the internal

commitment of all parties maintained?



Step 3 – Decide the appropriate level of involvement

The needs of all stakeholders were considered and addressed when determining the level of community involvement.

What was the community’s expected level of involvement in the process? Was it appropriate?

What was Council and the decision-makers expected level of community involvement in the process? Was it appropriate?

Were the the needs / expectations of the community and Council met? Did the level of involvment selected allow for meaningful input from the

community which was useful to the decision-makers?

Step 4 – Community consultation strategies and techniques

The community consultation process was transparent. It addressed imbalances of power to maximise involvement.

Did the participants and Council have a similar perception of what was being considered and did the process allow for the development of a clear understadning of the impacts of the proposed project?

Did all participants understand the community engagmenet process and timing?

Did the process help educate the public and build goodwill and trust? How was dissenting opinion treated in the process? Was it necessary to

mediate between groups and was this successful? Were there different ways to participate and were they all successful?

Step 5 – Communication strategies

All communications for the community consultation process were effective, inclusive and covered all necessary issues.

Were all participants adequately provided with timely, concise, understandable information in appropriate media and format?

Did the community get the information they needed to provide meaningful input?

Did the process adequately address situations where participants had different levels of information?

Were participants adequately advised on the consequences of actions or alternative solutions?

Was there an effective relationship with the media at each stage?

Step 6 – Using input, feedback and evaluation

All stakeholders are convinced that the community consultation process, or a phase of an ongoing process, achieved its mandate and are satisfied with the result.

Was there ultimate success in achieving the goals and objectives of the process?

To what extent was evaluation built into the process? Were stakeholders given the opportunity to be involved in determining

the techniques and criteria for evaluation of the process? Was there political and management support for the process? Do the

community believe Council was sincere in its community consultation efforts?

Did participants feel their input was worthwhile? Was participant input reflected in the final decisions?

Did community consultation result in greater benefits to the community or did it lead to long term community rifts?

Was the general community good addressed in the process? How? Did the community consultation process meet Council’s needs? To what extent did the process lead to win-win results? How can we adapt and refine future programs to make them more

effective and efficient?



Step 7 – Resourcing the process

The community consultation process had adequate resources (financial, staff, community) to achieve its stated objectives.

What was the true cost of the process for Council and the participants? Was there a more cost effective way of achieving the same results?

Was there sufficient staff time and were staff adquately prepared? How well did the organisation and individuals perform?

Did staff have adequate training to conduct the community consultation process?

Was time (ours and the community’s) and money used efficiently? Were community resources / energy used effectively?

What costs and delays could have been avoided and how?

Were lessons from other projects / best practice applied?

Was adequate administrative support commited to the process?

Step 8 – Final check

Consultation plans are adequately checked prior to implementation

Was sufficient lead time for research and consultation provided?

Were timelines identified and clearly communicated to all participants, particularly key points or milestones, review period and when the project will be completed?

Ensure the evaluation is used to adapt and design future community consultation processes Evaluation is a key process in building organisational capacity in community consultation. The learning from each community consultation process, no matter how small or large, should be shared across the organisation.

The evaluation process provides an opportunity to engage with officers to discuss processes and learnings. It is essential that learnings be used to inform future community consultation processes.

Mechanisms to share learning include:

Saving our community consultation plans and reports on outcomes / evaluation reports to the share directory

Staff meetings

In-service training sessions and peer review sessions

STEP 7 – RESOURCING THE PROCESS

It is important for you to think through in the early stages what resources you will need to undertake community consultation. All community consultation processes require recourses of some kind and it is not feasible to consider engaging the community if there’s not sufficient staff time or budget allocation.

The level of resources required will be different for each community consultation and communication strategies will need to be tailored to the level of resources available.



Developing a budget Budgeting for community consultation is a process which often requires some juggling and adjusting. Do not begin a community consultation project with no budget or resources at all. If you do, you will not be able to meet the objective of ensuring community consultation informs decision-making processes and this will result in community dissatisfaction.

By working through the following questions you will begin to understand what you need to consider when developing your project budget.

Key questions in planning your community consultation budget What resources are available for community consultation?

What are the expected costs of the proposed community consultation program?

How do these costs compare with community consultation in similar projects?

How do these costs compare with the overall costs of the project?

Is the necessary funding currently available? If not, what steps need to be taken to get the funding needed?

What internal staff will be needed at each step in the process and are they available?

What outside consulting help is needed and are the resources available to contract them?

What resources will the community need to participate?

What resources could the community provide?

Are outside organisations available that might be able to participate and contribute resources?

What opportunities exist to integrate community consultation costs with other project activities?

Sample budget items to consider Key areas of expenditure apart from staff time include:

Advertising costs

Promotional materials (design and production)

Postal costs, delivery/distribution

Stationery

Consultant costs

External facilitators

Equipment

Venue hire

Public address systems

Parking, travel costs/reimbursements

Refreshments

Child or respite care

Define roles and responsibilities

Our community consultation will be most effective if developed and implemented by a skilled team. The team may come from within Council or may be contracted specifically for the community consultation project.



STEP 8 - FINALLY Finalise the community consultation plan and develop your work schedule By following steps one to eight of this manual the information required to finalise the community consultation plan should now be defined. The community consultation plan should include the information outlined in section 3.1.2 and define what you are going to do and how it will be put in place. It is also advisable to develop a work schedule to define program events, dates and costs. The work schedule should generally take the form of a Gantt chart.

Checklist – Considerations for finalising the plan Ensure there is a proper lead time for research and consultation well before decisions are made Ensure that your timelines are identified and clearly communicated to all participants, particularly key

points or milestones, review period and when the project will be completed

The last check The final check before commencing the community consultation process;

Checklist – Before starting the community consultation process Do you have; Mechanisms and resources to document the full extent of the community consultation process? Adequate time for community consultation built into timelines? A shared understanding from all parties involved, of the scope and objectives of the community

consultation? Community understanding of the level of input expected of them? An understanding from all stakeholders of what is negotiable and open to change and what is not Relevant information that is readily accessible to all members of the community – including information on

the issue and on the community consultation process? The financial and technical resources to undertake the community consultation? Practical/logistical matters identified and resourced? Appropriately skilled human resources to undertake the community consultation? The credibility to engage the community? Open and accountable processes that can withstand public scrutiny? Opportunities for engaging the community in debate on the issue? All potential stakeholders identified? Adequate publicity in place to ensure all potential stakeholders are aware of the community consultation? An understanding of possible barriers to participation and appropriate strategies in place? Mechanisms in place for monitoring the community consultation process and the organisational flexibility

to make changes if required? Strategies in place for evaluating feedback from the community consultation? Strategies in place for providing feedback to participants? A clear understanding with stakeholders regarding their level of involvement in implementation of outcomes?

An evaluation of the community consultation process built into project timelines?

Throughout the duration of lengthy consultations (say six months or more) it is important to re-evaluate whether the Community Consultation Plan needs to change. Importantly, the community’s expectation regarding the levels of consultation may change also. If this happens you may need to revise your consultation levels and methods consultation. Contact the Manager Corporate Planning and Performance should you require assistance in changing your consultation plan.



Appendix 1 – IAP2 Public Participation Toolbox

Techniques to share information TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG PRINTED PUBLIC INFORMATION MATERIALS

Fact Sheets Newsletters Brochures Issue Papers

KISS! - Keep It Short and Simple Make it visually interesting but avoid a slick sales look

Include a postage-paid comment form to encourage two-way communication and to expand mailing list

Be sure to explain public role and how public comments have affected project decisions. Q&A format works well

Can reach large target audience Allows for technical and legal reviews

Encourages written responses if comment form enclosed

Facilitates documentation of public involvement process

Only as good as the mailing list/ distribution network

Limited capability to communicate complicated concepts

No guarantee materials will be read

INFORMATION REPOSITORIES Libraries, city halls, distribution centers, schools, and other public facilities make good locations for housing project-related information

Make sure personnel at location know where materials are kept

Keep list of repository items Track usage through a sign-in sheet

Relevant information is accessible to the public without incurring the costs or complications of tracking multiple copies sent to different people

Can set up visible distribution centers for project information

Information repositories are often not well used by the public

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Technical documents reporting research or policy findings

Reports are often more credible if prepared by independent groups

Provides for thorough explanation of project decisions

Can be more detailed than desired by many participants

May not be written in clear, accessible language

ADVERTISEMENTS Paid advertisements in newspapers and magazines

Figure out the best days and best sections of the paper to reach intended audience

Avoid rarely read notice sections

Potentially reaches broad public Expensive, especially in urban areas Allows for relatively limited amount of

information NEWSPAPER INSERTS

A “fact sheet” within the local newspaper

Design needs to get noticed in the pile of inserts

Try on a day that has few other inserts

Provides community-wide distribution of information

Presented in the context of local paper, insert is more likely to be read and taken seriously

Provides opportunity to include public comment form

Expensive, especially in urban areas



© 2000-2004, IAP2

TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG FEATURE STORIES Focused stories on general project-related issues

Anticipate visuals or schedule interesting events to help sell the story

Recognize that reporters are always looking for an angle

Can heighten the perceived importance of the project

More likely to be read and taken seriously by the public

No control over what information is presented or how

BILL STUFFER Information flyer included with monthly utility bill

Design bill stuffers to be eye-catching to encourage readership

Widespread distribution within service area Economical use of existing mailings

Limited information can be conveyed Message may get confused as from the

mailing entity PRESS RELEASES Fax or e-mail press releases or media kits Foster a relationship of editorial board and reporters

Informs the media of project milestones Press release language is often used directly in

articles Opportunity for technical and legal reviews

Low media response rate Frequent poor placement of press

release within newspapers

NEWS CONFERENCES Make sure all speakers are trained in media relations Opportunity to reach all media in one setting Limited to news-worthy events

TELEVISION Television programming to present information and elicit audience response

Cable options are expanding and can be inexpensive

Check out expanding video options on the internet

Can be used in multiple geographic areas Many people will take the time to watch rather

than read

High expense Difficult to gauge impact on audience

INFORMATION CENTERS and FIELD OFFICES Offices established with prescribed hours to distribute information and respond to inquiries

Provide adequate staff to accommodate group tours

Use brochures and videotapes to advertise and reach broader audience

Consider providing internet access station Select an accessible and frequented

location

Provides opportunity for positive media coverage at groundbreaking and other significant events

Excellent opportunity to educate school children Places information dissemination in a positive

educational setting information is easily accessible to the public

Provides an opportunity for more responsive ongoing communications focused on specific public involvement activities

Relatively expensive, especially for project-specific use

Access is limited to those in vicinity of the center unless facility is mobile



© 2000-2004, IAP2 TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG

EXPERT PANELS

Public meeting designed in “Meet the Press” format. Media panel interviews experts from different perspectives.

Provide opportunity for participation by general public following panel

Have a neutral moderator Agree on ground rules in advance

Possibly encourage local organizations to sponsor rather than challenge

Encourages education of the media Presents opportunity for balanced discussion of key

issues Provides opportunity to dispel scientific

misinformation

Requires substantial preparation and organization

May enhance public concerns by increasing visibility of issues

BRIEFINGS

Use regular meetings of social and civic clubs and organizations to provide an opportunity to inform and educate. Normally these groups need speakers. Examples of target audiences: Rotary Club, Lions Clubs, Elks Clubs, Kiwanis, League of Women Voters. Also a good technique for elected officials.

KISS - Keep it Short and Simple

Use “show and tell” techniques Bring visuals

Control of information/ presentation Opportunity to reach a wide variety of individuals

who may not have been attracted to another format Opportunity to expand mailing list Similar presentations can be used for different

groups Builds community good will

Project stakeholders may not be in target audiences

Topic may be too technical to capture interest of audience

CENTRAL INFORMATION CONTACT

Identify designated contacts for the public and media

If possible, list a person not a position

Best if contact person is local Anticipate how phones will be answered

Make sure message is kept up to date

People don’t get “the run around” when they call Controls information flow Conveys image of “accessibility”

Designated contact must be committed to and prepared for prompt and accurate responses

May filter public message from technical staff and decision makers

May not serve to answer many of the toughest questions



WEB SITES

A Web site provides information and links to other sites through the World Wide Web. Electronic mailing lists are included.

A good home page is critical Each Web page must be

independent Put critical information at the top of

page Use headings, bulleted and

numbered lists to steer user

Reaches across distances Makes information accessible anywhere at any time Saves printing and mailing costs

User may not have easy access to the Internet or knowledge of how to use computers

Large files or graphics can take a long time to download

TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTACT Providing access to technical expertise to individuals and organizations

The technical resource must be perceived as credible by the audience

Builds credibility and helps address public concerns about equity

Can be effective conflict resolution technique where facts are debated

Limited opportunities exist for providing technical assistance

Technical experts may counter project information

© 2000-2004, IAP2

Techniques to share compile input and provide feedback TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG INFORMATION HOT LINE

Identify a separate line for public access to prerecorded project information or to reach project team members who can answer questions/ obtain input

Make sure contact has sufficient knowledge to answer most project-related questions

If possible, list a person not a position

Best if contact person is local

People don’t get “the run around” when they call Controls information flow Conveys image of “accessibility” Easy to provide updates on project activities

Designated contact must be committed to and prepared for prompt and accurate responses

INTERVIEWS

One-to-one meetings with stakeholders to gain information for developing or refining public involvement and consensus building programs

Where feasible, interviews should be conducted in-person, particularly when considering candidates for citizens committees

Provides opportunity for in-depth information exchange in non-threatening forum

Provides opportunity to obtain feedback from all stakeholders

Can be used to evaluate potential citizen committee members

Scheduling multiple interviews can be time consuming



TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG IN-PERSON SURVEYS One-on-one “focus groups” with standardized questionnaire or methodology such as “stated preference”

Make sure use of result is clear before technique is designed

Provides traceable data Reaches broad, representative public

Expensive

RESPONSE SHEETS Mail-In-forms often included in fact sheets and other project mailings to gain information on public concerns and preferences

Use prepaid postage Include a section to add name to

the mailing list Document results as part of public

involvement record

Provides input from those who would be unlikely to attend meetings

Provides a mechanism for expanding mailing list

Does not generate statistically valid results

Only as good as the mailing list Results can be easily skewed

MAILED SURVEYS & QUESTIONNAIRES Inquiries mailed randomly to sample population to gain specific information for statistical validation

Make sure you need statistically valid results before making investment

Survey/questionnaire should be professionally developed and administered to avoid bias

Most suitable for general attitudinal surveys

Provides input from individuals who would be unlikely to attend meetings

Provides input from cross-section of public not just activists

Statistically tested results are more persuasive with political bodies and the general public

Response rate is generally low For statistically valid results, can be labor

intensive and expensive Level of detail may be limited

© 2000-2004, IAP2



© 2000-2004, IAP2 TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG TELEPHONE SURVEYS/POLLS

Random sampling of population by telephone to gain specific information for statistical validation

Make sure you need statistically valid results before making investment

Survey/Questionnaire should be professionally developed and administered to avoid bias

Most suitable for general attitudinal surveys


Provides input from cross-section of public, not just those on mailing list

Higher response rate than with mail-in surveys

More expensive and labor intensive than mailed surveys

INTERNET SURVEYS/POLLS

Web-based response polls Be precise in how you set up site, chat rooms or discussion places can generate more input than you can look at


Provides input from cross-section of public, not just those on mailing list

Higher response rate than other communication forms

Generally not statistically valid results Can be very labor intensive to look at all

of the responses Cannot control geographic reach of poll Results can be easily skewed

COMPUTER-BASED POLLING

Surveys conducted via computer network

Appropriate for attitudinal research

Provides instant analyses of results Can be used in multiple areas Novelty of technique improves rate of response

High expense Detail of inquiry is limited

COMMUNITY FACILITATORS

Use qualified individuals in local community organizations to conduct project outreach

Define roles, responsibilities and limitations up front

Select and train facilitators carefully

Promotes community-based involvement Capitalizes on existing networks Enhances project credibility

Can be difficult to control information flow Can build false expectations

FOCUS GROUPS

Message testing forum with randomly selected members of target audience. Can also be used to obtain input on planning decisions

Conduct at least two sessions for a given target

Use a skilled focus group facilitator to conduct the session

Provides opportunity to test key messages prior to implementing program

Works best for select target audience

Relatively expensive if conducted in focus group testing facility



DELIBERATIVE POLLING Measures informed opinion on an issue

Do not expect or encourage participants to develop a shared view

Hire a facilitator experienced in this technique

Can tell decision-makers what the public would think if they had more time and information

Exposure to different backgrounds, arguments, and views

Resource intensive Often held in conjunction with television

companies 2 – 3 day meeting

© 2000-2004, IAP2 Techniques to bring people together TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG SIMULATION GAMES Exercises that simulate project decisions

Test “game” before using Be clear about how results will be

used

Can be designed to be an effective educational/training technique, especially for local officials

Requires substantial preparation and time for implementation Can be expensive

TOURS Provide tours for key stakeholders, elected officials, advisory group members and the media

Know how many participants can be accommodated and make plans for overflow

Plan question/ answer session Consider providing refreshments Demonstrations work better than presentations

Opportunity to develop rapport with key stakeholders

Reduces outrage by making choices more fam iliar

Number of participants is limited by logistics

Potentially attractive to protestors

OPEN HOUSES An open house to allow the public to tour at their own pace. The facility should be set up with several stations, each addressing a separate issue. Guide participants through the exhibits.

Someone should explain format at the door

Have each participant fill out a comment sheet to document their participation

Be prepared for a crowd all at once - develop a meeting contingency plan

Encourage people to draw on maps to actively participate

Set up stations so that several people (6-10) can view at once

Foster small group or one-on-one communications Ability to draw on other team members to answer

difficult questions Less likely to receive media coverage Builds credibility

Difficult to document public input Agitators may stage themselves at each

display Usually more staff intensive than a

meeting



COMMUNITY FAIRS Central event with multiple activities to provide project information and raise awareness

All issues, large and small must be considered

Make sure adequate resources and staff are available

Focuses public attention on one element Conducive to media coverage Allows for different levels of information sharing

Public must be motivated to attend Usually expensive to do it well Can damage image if not done well

COFFEE KLATCHES Small meetings within neighborhood usually at a person’s home

Make sure staff is very polite and appreciative

Relaxed setting is conducive to effective dialogue Maximizes two-way communication

Can be costly and labor intensive

© 2000-2004, IAP2



TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG MEETINGS WITH EXISTING GROUPS Small meetings with existing groups or in conjunction with another event

Understand who the likely audience is to be Make opportunities for one-on-one

meetings

Opportunity to get on the agenda Provides opportunity for in-depth

information exchange in non-threatening forum

May be too selective and can leave out important groups

WEB-BASED MEETINGS - Meetings that occur via the Internet

Tailor agenda to your participants Combine telephone and face-to-face

meetings with Web-based meetings. Plan for graphics and other supporting

materials

Cost and time efficient Can include a broader audience People can participate at different times

or at the same time

Consider timing if international time zones are represented

Difficult to manage or resolve conflict

COMPUTER-FACILITATED WORKSHOP Any sized meeting when participants use interactive computer technology to register opinions

Understand your audience, particularly the demographic categories

Design the inquiries to provide useful results

Use facilitator trained in the technique

Immediate graphic results prompt focused discussion

Areas of agreement/disagreement easily portrayed

Minority views are honored Responses are private Levels the playing field

Software limits design Potential for placing too much

emphasis on numbers Technology failure

PUBLIC HEARINGS Formal meetings with scheduled presentations offered

Avoid if possible Provides opportunity for public to speak without rebuttal

Does not foster constructive dialogue Can perpetuate an us vs. them feeling

DESIGN CHARRETTES Intensive session where participants re-design project features

Best used to foster creative ideas Be clear about how results will be used

Promotes joint problem solving and creative thinking

Participants may not be seen as representative by larger public

CONSENSUS BUILDING TECHNIQUES Techniques for building consensus on project decisions such as criteria and alternative selection. Often used with advisory committees. Techniques include Delphi, nominal group technique, public value assessment and many others.

Use simplified methodology Allow adequate time to reach consensus Consider one of the computerized systems

that are available Define levels of consensus, i.e. a group

does not have to agree entirely upon a decision but rather agree enough so the discussion can move forward

Encourages compromise among different interests

Provides structured and trackable decision making

Not appropriate for groups with no interest in compromise

Clever parties can skew results Does not produce a statistically valid

solution Consensus may not be reached



© 2000-2004, IAP2 TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG ADVISORY COMMITTEES A group of representative stakeholders assembled to provide public input to the planning process

Define roles and responsibilities up front

Be forthcoming with information Use a consistently credible process Interview potential committee

members in person before selection Use third party facilitation

Provides for detailed analyses for project issues Participants gain understanding of other

perspectives, leading toward compromise

General public may not embrace committee’s recommendations

Members may not achieve consensus Sponsor must accept need for give-and-take Time and labor intensive

TASK FORCES A group of experts or representative stakeholders formed to develop a specific product or policy recommendation

Obtain strong leadership in advance Make sure membership has

credibility with the public

Findings of a task force of independent or diverse interests will have greater credibility

Provides constructive opportunity for compromise

Task force may not come to consensus or results may be too general to be meaningful

Time and labor intensive

PANELS A group assembled to debate or provide input on specific issues

Most appropriate to show different news to public

Panelists must be credible with public

Provides opportunity to dispel misinformation Can build credibility if all sides are represented May create wanted media attention

May create unwanted media attention

CITIZEN JURIES Small group of ordinary citizens empanelled to learn about an issue, cross examine witnesses, make a recommendation. Always non-binding with no legal standing

Requires skilled moderator Commissioning body must follow

recommendations or explain why Be clear about how results will be

used

Great opportunity to develop deep understanding of an issue

Public can identify with the “ordinary” citizens Pinpoint fatal flaws or gauge public reaction

Resource intensive

ROLE-PLAYING Participants act out characters in pre-defined situation followed by evaluation of the interaction

Choose roles carefully. Ensure that all interests are represented.

People may need encouragement to play a role fully

Allow people to take risk-free positions and view situation from other perspectives

Participants gain clearer understanding of issues

People may not be able to actually achieve goal of seeing another’s perspective



© 2000-2004, IAP2 TECHNIQUE ALWAYS THINK IT THROUGH WHAT CAN GO RIGHT WHAT CAN GO WRONG SAMOAN CIRCLE

Leaderless meeting that stimulates active participation

Set room up with center table surrounded by concentric circles

Need microphones Requires several people to record

discussion

Can be used with 10 to 500 people Works best with controversial issues

Dialogue can stall or become monopolized

OPEN SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Participants offer topics and others participate according to interest

Important to have a powerful theme or vision statement to generate topics

Need flexible facilities to accommodate numerous groups of different sizes

Ground rules and procedures must be carefully explained for success

Provides structure for giving people opportunity and responsibility to create valuable product or experience

Includes immediate summary of discussion

Most important issues could get lost in the shuffle

Can be difficult to get accurate reporting of results

WORKSHOPS

An informal public meeting that may include a presentations and exhibits but ends with interactive working groups

Know how you plan to use public input before the workshop

Conduct training in advance with small group facilitators. Each should receive a list of instructions, especially where procedures involve weighting/ ranking of factors or criteria

Excellent for discussions on criteria or analysis of alternatives Fosters small group or one-to-one communication

Ability to draw on other team members to answer difficult questions

Builds credibility Maximizes feedback obtained from

participants Fosters public ownership in solving the

problem

Hostile participants may resist what they perceive to be the “divide and conquer” strategy of breaking into small groups

Several small-group facilitators are necessary

FUTURE SEARCH CONFERENCE

Focuses on the future of an organization, a network of people, or community

Hire a facilitator experienced in this technique

Can involve hundreds of people simultaneously in major organizational change decisions

Individuals are experts Can lead to substantial changes across entire

organization

Logistically challenging May be difficult to gain complete

commitment from all stakeholders 2 — 3 day meeting

© 2000-2004, IAP2



Appendix 2 – Participant feedback form

PROJECT NAME: __________________________

Location: _______________

Session Date: __/__/__

Time: _______am/pm

QUESTIONS YES NO COMMENTS

Purpose of Session

Was the purpose of the session clear?

Session presentation

Was sufficient information provided?

Interaction

Could the session be improved by providing more interaction by audience members?

Presenters

Did the presenters listen to you and encourage you to participate?

Venue

Was the venue appropriate for the session just presented?

Timeliness

Has the consultation session been timely?

Communication

Did you learn about this consultation via newspaper, internet or another method?

Newspaper Internet Other

Additional comments?

Please provide other comments on any issue.

Council of the City of Gold Coast appreciates your input. Please leave this form with your Community Consultants. Thank-you



Appendix 3 – COMMUNITY CONSULTATION ATTENDEES REGISTRATION FORM

Name of Project:

Session Date: Time: Location:

Name Telephone Residential or Work Address Email Address

Draft – Community Consultation Policy Attachment C - Manual


Appendix 4 – Have Your Say Site form

HAVE YOUR SAY SITE TEMPLATE

PROJECT NAME PURPOSE BACKGROUND INFORMATION Please find attached:

• relevant background information HOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY A community consultation workshop is due to take place as follows:

Date Location Time

Month/Year Venue am/pm Complete the following online community consultation tool:

• online survey (etc.). NEXT STEP Following consideration of community consultation information… FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information on this consultation contact the Project Manager: (Include Project Manager’s contact details)

Name: Phone: (07) Email: [email protected]

If you have comments or suggestions regarding the approach Council is using to consult community please contact the Manager Corporate Planning and Performance.

community consultation policy - city of gold coast · community consultation policy printed copies...

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