5. Strategy consultation - engagement
Overview
As part of the consultation we have undertaken engagement with a range of stakeholders and groups using different methods. This section sets out these engagement activities alongside the key themes and feedback arising from the engagement. Throughout we encouraged individuals, groups and organisations to respond to the consultation via our online consultation hub – Citizen Space (or postal survey).
Presentations
Prior to the launch of, and during the draft LTP4 consultation itself, the LTP team presented at various groups to promote the consultation and to start/continue conversations about transport in the county. Presentations were given to the following:
- East Sussex County Council Councillors.
- Local authorities (districts, boroughs, South Downs National Park and Transport for the South East).
- Team East Sussex (business community representatives from East Sussex).
- Culture East Sussex (culture community representatives from East Sussex).
- Youth Cabinet.
- SEND Ambassadors.
- Transport operators and infrastructure providers.
- User groups.
- Southeast Community Rail Partnership (SCRP) Lines in East Sussex.
- Southeast Community Rail Partnership Stakeholder Advisory Board.
- Tourism organisations.
Emails
Emails were sent to stakeholders during week commencing 27 November 2023 advising that the public consultation period had started. The email also provided online links to the draft strategy and supporting documentation, and asked people to share this information more widely with their networks.
Further emails were also sent to stakeholders in early February 2024 reminding that there were three weeks until the end of the consultation period. Similar to the November 2023 email, the reminder email contained links to the draft strategy and consultation. It also thanked those who had already responded.
A high level summary of the groups included in our November 2023 and early February 2024 emails:
- Regional and Local government (e.g. district, borough, town and parish councils)
- Sub-regional government and organisations
- Transport operators and infrastructure providers
- Community and user groups
- Groups and organisations representing the business and culture sectors
- Members of the public
- Other East Sussex Council teams in different directorates and services.
Social media
Our Communications Team created and shared information across social media channels publicising the consultation and how people can get involved. Posts were created and shared/posted throughout the period of the consultation.
A press release was also issued at the start of the consultation period.
Other promotion activity
A number of posters were created and displayed (for example in all County Council libraries, on Cuckmere Buses, South Downs National Park Authority - Seven Sisters Visitors Centre).
Specific engagement events held as part of the consultation process
Public - Library drop-in sessions
To make the team and consultation as accessible as possible to groups and the public, LTP4 drop-in sessions were held in every East Sussex County Council library across the county.
Each library was visited on a weekday and five larger or busier libraries were also visited on a Saturday.
These included:
| Date | Location and times |
|---|---|
| Thursday 12 December 2023 | Bexhill Library. 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm. |
| Thursday 14 December 2023 | Seaford Library. 10am to 6pm. |
| Thursday 04 January 2024 | Eastbourne Library. 10am to 6pm. |
| Wednesday 10 January 2024 | Wadhurst Library. 10am to 1pm. |
| Thursday 11 January 2024 | Hastings Library. 10am to 1.15pm and 2pm to 6pm. |
| Saturday 13 January 2024 | Lewes Library. 10am to 5pm. |
| Monday 15 January 2024 | Heathfield Library. 10am to 1pm. |
| Friday 19 January 2024 | Rye Library. 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm. |
| Saturday 20 January 2024 | Crowborough Library. 10am to 3pm. |
| Tuesday 23 January 2024 | Battle Library. 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm. |
| Friday 26 January 2024 | Peacehaven Library. 10am to 1pm. |
| Friday 26 January 2024 | Newhaven Library. 1.30pm to 4.30pm. |
| Saturday 27 January 2024 | Uckfield Library 10am to 3pm. |
| Monday 29 January 2024 | Forest Row Library. 2pm to 5pm. |
| Thursday 01 February 2024 | Uckfield Library. 10am to 6pm. |
| Saturday 03 February 2024 | Eastbourne Library. 10am to 3pm. |
| Monday 05 February 2024 | Hampden Park Library 10am to 1pm. |
| Monday 05 February 2024 | Hailsham Library 1pm to 4pm. |
| Tuesday 06 February 2024 | Crowborough Library. 11am to 3pm. |
| Saturday 10 February 2024 | Hastings Library. 10am to 3pm. |
| Thursday 15 February 2024 | Lewes Library. 2pm to 4.30pm. |
| Tuesday 20 February 2024.. | Hollington Library. 11am to 3pm |
In total across all library drop-in sessions 216 engagements and views were provided with people who attended specifically for the event or who saw us and stopped for a discussion.
A summary of the outcome of conversations held during the library drop-in events can be found in the key findings section of this report.
Members and Officers
No specific events for Members or officers were held during the consultation period. Before the consultation period, events were held in mid-November 2023 to summarise the strategy for Member Reference Group and all County Council Members.
Young People
Our stage 1 consultation indicated that younger people were a demographic group that were under-represented in providing feedback at the stage 1 consultation.
As such additional engagement was undertaken during the Stage 2 consultation and engagement with both the Youth Cabinet and SEND Ambassadors as representatives for their peer group within East Sussex through the following:
- Attendance (in-person) at a Youth Cabinet meeting (December 2023) – 1 hour workshop
- Attendance (virtual) as a SEND Ambassador meeting (February 2024) – 1 hour workshop
For both Youth Cabinet and SEND Ambassadors a number of activities were prepared, that enabled discussion around the draft LTP4 Strategy and Implementation Plan. These activities were designed to get feedback from the young people in attendance and encourage them to think about how they use transport.
The young people in attendance at both events were also encouraged to respond to the consultation and to let their peers know about LTP4 and how they can get involved.