KCC 'PATHETIC' CONSULTATIONS TO BE GIVEN AN OVERHAUL
November 9, 2006 3:03 PM
Pathetic
When Kent County Council's major consultation document called "Towards 2010" received only 83 replies, Lib Dem Councillor Trudy Dean called for an overhaul of KCC consultation procedures - calling the response rate "pathetic".
Today at County Hall, the Corporate Policy Overview Committee received a report setting out a "Strategy for Consultation" and once more Trudy was critical: "We have Strategies coming out of our ears, but what matters is what is happening on the ground - and the message simply is not getting through."
Trudy suggested:-
- KCC should use a logo, perhaps a hand with a pen, to clearly indicate when a response was needed
- Use of a FREEPOST address
- Use of mobile phone / text messaging
- IPOD technology to get to young people
- Improving KCC's confused website
- Delivery door to door of important wide ranging consultations
"Towards 2010 had limited circulation when it was a consultation - and once it was finalised, everyone got a copy! That's the wrong way round unless it was meant as a Party Political Broadcast, in which case the Conservative Party should pay for it."
KCC's Cabinet is to consider the Strategy for Consultation when Members comments have been included.