Our consultation and engagement strategy plays a major part in the way we approach consultation and engagement. This includes how it links to the organisation's objectives and priorities, and evidence of how and where the results have been used.
Our consultation and engagement strategy is building on the good work that is already happening and focuses on:
- how stakeholders' feedback has influenced our decision making process and what has happened as an outcome
- moving towards more meaningful community empowerment and how we manage and enable this change
- identifying increased opportunities to work in partnership both internally and externally to reduce costs and consultation fatigue
- how, where and when we disseminate and share our information, knowledge and expertise across the organisation and with our partners.
It is helping us achieve improved ‘one council' communications and ensure that any consultation and engagement activity is necessary, effective and of a high standard. It is also helping us to give local people and local communities more influence and power to improve their lives.
Rewarding and recognising people
We're committed to involving people in decisions that affect them, and value their input in planning, delivering and evaluating services.
Sometimes we need to recognise and reward the contribution that service users, carers and the public make. This may include:
- out-of-pocket expenses such as travel or childcare costs
- an incentive to take part
- personal development through learning new skills.
We've developed two policies – one for adults, one for children and young people – to make sure we are consistent in rewarding and recognising people's contributions. They outline the activities people may be involved in and group them by type or level of involvement to decide if a reward is required and what it should be.
East Sussex County Council