Community engagement strategy

5.1    Our commitments to drive community engagement are:

More effective communication

•    Offer information in clear language and different formats
•    Ensure information of the Council website is useful, clear and easy to navigate
•    Engage our communities through a range of communication channels
•    Provide regular opportunities for feedback
•    Share updates on our service and performance
•    Be open and transparent 

Partnership working to influence and improve services

•    Create a culture where stakeholders are actively encouraged to be involved in scrutinising, shaping and feeding back on services, helping to improve customer satisfaction.
•    Consult with stakeholders, ensuring worthwhile conversations and feedback on results.
•    Provide a simple, accessible and defined complaints process and using feedback to shape future service delivery.
•    Demonstrate the results and impact of stakeholder involvement.

Widen participation

•    Create inclusive involvement opportunities to suit different needs and interest.
•    Ensure all residents who want to, have the opportunity to engage with us and actively seek to reach those communities and individuals who do not engage with us.
•    Identify a wide-ranging stakeholder group.
•    Raise awareness of our stakeholder involvement activities.
•    Support resident groups and partner organisations.
•    Continue to consider what may prevent stakeholders from engaging with us and how these can be overcome.
•    Improve the digital offering to widen our audience and access to services.

Celebrate our thriving communities

•    Work with partner organisations to strengthen our communities.
•    Support residents and business to take pride in where they live.
•    Celebrate our successes with our community.
•    Consider our stakeholders at the heart of decision making.

Ensure our engagement meets our standards

•    Review achievements against this strategy every year.
•    Make surveys and consultations clear and easy to access.
•    Provide clear governance and terms of reference for the different engagement groups, as required.
•    Treat all customers with fairness and respect, ensuing we understand their different needs.
•    Continue to be inclusive and representative.