Effective, efficient and worthwhile consultation is at the heart of our commitment to the community. We encourage people to engage with us on relevant issues and seek out new ways to involve them in consultation activities and decision making.

The purpose of consultation is to inform the Council’s decisions by seeking the views of our residents and engaging them in the activities of the Council. The information gathered through consultation assists Members and officers to make decisions that improve services and provide value for money. In addition, there are increasingly important statutory requirements for consultation, for example, to support the Comprehensive Area Assesment (CAA).

We already have an established track record of consultation using methods such as residents' surveys, focus groups, interviews, exhibitions and workshops and open day events. One such event is our annual Youth Leisure Day, which targets teenagers in the Borough in order to obtain their views on the services provided for them in the Borough.

Consultation Strategy

The Consultation Strategy, revised in 2005, shows how the Council's consultation process will develop.  Its aim is to ensure effective and efficient consultation. From this, the Council gains a greater understanding of its communities, helping us to improve continuously.

It is important that consultation conducted by the Council is well coordinated, well planned and effectively managed to ensure that it is both cost effective and has a real impact on how the Council considers decisions.  In order to achieve this, the Council has a dedicated Consultation & Communications Team (C&C).  Whilst some research and consultation for specific services may be organised and managed within individual service units, it must go through the quality assurance system via the C&C team prior to it commencing.  This ensures that best practice is adhered to, and any ethical and legal considerations are considered as part of the consultation planning process.

Further information on and to download the Consultation strategy

FEEDBACK - Citizens' Panel

This panel was first set up in 1996, in response to recognising the need to listen to, and learn from, local residents' views. This helps the Council to improve and provide the services that residents want.  Membership of the panel was refreshed in 2000 and 2003, when it was rebranded to FEEDBACK and most recently in 2006. There are just over 1,000 members of this panel, who are sent surveys on a regular basis.

Further Information on the Citizens' Panel

Consultation Activity

A wide range of consultation is conducted on an annual basis.  This consultation ranges from statutory consultation to consultation that supports the Council's Key Priorities.

To gain further information on the consultation projects the Council has undertaken in the last few years please see the links below.  These pages detail the projects which have taken place in the past, and their outcomes; work which is currently being undertaken; and consultation which is planned for the future.  Where consultation has been carried out by the Council's in-house research team, a copy of the final report is also available on the relevant page.

Past Consultation
Current Consultation
Future Consultation

Further Information

Telephone:  Head of Consultation & Communication on 01372 732000
email: contactus@epsom-ewell.gov.uk