Consultation on Duty To Involve

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill (formerly the Strong and Prosperous Communities White Paper) is currently working its way through Parliament. The Bill includes a package of reforms that seek to:

• give a stronger voice to citizens and communities to shape the areas where they live and the services they receive
• encourage local authorities to provide stronger and more strategic leadership for the places they serve
• reduce central prescription so local authorities and their partners are able to respond to local needs and demands

The Bill will give local authorities and other best value authorities a new duty to 'inform, consult and involve' local people. Government wants everyone, irrespective of where they live, work or play, to be provided with opportunities to get involved.  More information about the Bill and the new Duty to Involve can be found using the links to the right.

The government are considering what will be required to ensure that this duty is fully implemented, what the challenges will be and what any guidnace should look like, and want to hear your views.

Portsmouth were asked to help by leading in one part of the consultation on "What is the role of best value authorities, their statutory partners, third sector, private sector, communities and citizens in the duty to involve?”

The city asked to hear from local authorities, national parks, police, health and fire services as well as community activists, including the voluntary and community sector to help inform the implementation of the duty and development of any guidance.

To let us have your comments, please use the email address below, and we will post comments on these webpages. Your details will be held in confidence.

The consultation was open until June 18 2007 and the discussion forum below identifies the comments received.  The report summarising the work will be prepared for the Department of Communities and Local Government and is attached below.

Associated documents:

  Summary of Duty to Involve  (0.03 MB)

Discussion Forum

Comment - From Wolverhampton City Council
Comment - What Civic Pioneers have said
Comment - Community involvement strategies
Comment - Role for community development
Comment - How can the legislation be understandable?
Comment - Capacity an issue?
Comment - How can the duty be challenged?
Comment - Duty to listen?
Comment - Who makes the decisions?
Comment - Communication on the new Duty
Comment - The relationship with Equality Impact Assessment
Comment - Missed opportunity?
Comment - Is the 'duty to involve' too top down?
Comment - who's role to determine how to involve?
Comment - what do we mean by inform?
Comment - what does local persons mean?
Comment - offering simple guidance