Issue - meetings

ORDERED that the Consultation Policy be approved.

The Mayor considered a report regarding the Consultation Policy.

The purpose of the report was to ensure the Council had a policy which set out how it would conduct fair consultations, where there was a lawful requirement to conduct a consultation.

Councils sometimes had a statutory requirement to consult their residents, partners and businesses. Statutory consultations were bound by legal requirements, such as Best Value legislation, and could have strict rules surrounding how they should be conducted.

There was also a range of other non-statutory reasons that meant it may have been good practice to undertake consultation.  These included improving planning, policy and decision making; making better use of resources; to access new information, ideas and suggestions; and to encourage greater participation in the activities of the Council.  The policy provided a policy framework against which consultations could be developed.

OPTIONS

The Council could choose not to have a policy in place; however, this was not recommended.  Provision of a policy provided officers with a clear direction on consultation standards and expectations which would improve public engagement.  The policy also reduced the risk of decisions being taken which had not been appropriately consulted on.

ORDERED that the Consultation Policy be approved.

REASONS

Having a policy in place that set out a clear framework of when the Council should and should not consult will support compliance with legal requirements on consultation.