Consultations

Consultation describes a range of ways in which the people of Sunderland can exchange views to help influence decisions, inform the way services are delivered and improve their communities. It can be carried out using lots of different methods such as surveys, discussion groups, online forums, local events, meetings and exhibitions.

The views of local people in Sunderland really do matter and they do influence decisions that affect everything from how we provide services to the future of the whole city. We take our commitment to consultation very seriously and aim to ensure that it is carried out to the highest possible standard.

This means ensuring that:

• We are clear about why we are consulting and how we will use the results
• We only involve people if we are going to make a decision that can be influenced by their involvement
• We include all relevant sections of the community
• We look for opportunities to work together and with our partners to avoid duplication
• We use a range of accessible methods to reach people and ensure they are able to take part
• We provide people with enough clear information on which to base their responses
• We give people enough time to get involved
• We feed back our findings and how the information collected has been used to inform our decisions
• We learn from our experiences so that we can improve future practice.

For more information about the council's approach to consultation and how you can get involved, please visit the links below.