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Frequently asked questions

Here you’ll find some frequently asked questions about Tell us 2 things.

Who can take part?

Anyone can take part and there are no restrictions on who can use the scheme.

What sort of suggestions are you looking for?

All suggestions are welcome. Your suggestion has a better chance of being adopted if it is practical, positive and contributes to improving the work and life in Portsmouth, and it falls within the power of Portsmouth City Council to implement.

What information do you need if I make a suggestion?

The scheme is called ‘Tell us 2 things’. The first part of the form asks you to tell us “What does Portsmouth City Council do well?” Your comments will help us understand what services are being delivered well.

The second part of the forms asks: “What would you like to see improved – and how do you suggest we could improve it?” It is useful if you enter a title for your suggestion as this helps us to identify it as it is reviewed. This is can be just a few words that carry the overall theme of your suggestion (for example, 'suggestion to improve parking spaces for residents’).

Then, write as much or as little as you like to tell us. What your idea is or what you would like to see happen. Use normal everyday language or 'plain English', use the external link for more information. We would also like to hear about the benefits you expect it to bring either to the city council or the people who receive the service.

Many ideas come from looking at the day-to-day problems and difficulties people face and focus on what needs to change. If you experience a problem, can you think of a good way of overcoming it? How often does this problem occur? Who else is affected? Could it be prevented? If not, what would you do to improve things? Perhaps your suggestion is about an opportunity you have spotted?

Common areas for suggestions include:

  • improving people's working lives
  • providing a better service
  • simplifying a procedure
  • improving communications between staff and residents
  • preventing errors and mistakes
  • reducing risks and accidents
  • saving energy
  • improving the working environment
  • reducing waste
  • reducing complaints
  • protecting the environment
  • enhancing the council’s reputation
  • using the council’s resources, such as time, money, buildings, equipment, expertise, more efficiently

You should not worry if your suggestion seems obvious. Don't underestimate your ability to spot something that others have overlooked - simple suggestions are often the best.

Please note that when describing your suggestion take care not to include information that might identify a resident or member of staff.

I have a complaint, not a suggestion

Tell us 2 things must not be used to register a complaint. We have a separate procedure for registering comments, compliments or complaints.

What happens after I submit my suggestion?

Your suggestion will be recorded on the Tell us 2 things database and, if you provide your contact details, you will receive an acknowledgement letter.

We will check your suggestion to ensure it is appropriate. If it is, it will go forward for evaluation. This will involve a senior manager at the council deciding whether or not to adopt your suggestion. We keep a record of all the suggestions submitted to us.

The sorts of things that will influence the decision whether or not to adopt a suggestion are:

  • is it clear what impact the suggestion will have?
  • who will benefit and in what way?
  • how simple or difficult will it be to implement?
  • does it fit with our current policies and plans?
  • is investment needed?
  • does something need to happen first?

If we decide not to adopt your suggestion we will record, for internal use, the reasons why and your suggestion will be closed. We will write to you to let you know. If a suggestion is submitted without any details, is blank or is inappropriate or offensive it will be deleted from our records.

Will I be told if my suggestion is used?

Yes, as a general rule you can expect to be notified by us within 60 days of receiving your suggestion. Sometimes our investigations into your suggestions may take longer, in which case we will write to you again and let you know how much longer you can expect to wait.
If the decision is not to adopt your idea then we will write to you with a brief explanation as to why.

We cannot enter into correspondence about specific suggestions. But if you are unhappy with the reasons given for not adopting your suggestion you have the option of re-submitting it and explaining why you think it deserves another look.

You will only receive communication from us if you have entered a valid email or postal address.

Do I get a reward for my suggestion?

We do not offer any monetary reward for suggestions or ideas. However, once a year we will invite people who have had successful suggestions to a recognition ceremony in the Guildhall.

Is my suggestion confidential?

All of the suggestions made will not be confidential.

Who owns the intellectual property rights of my suggestion?

When you submit a suggestion to the Tell us 2 things scheme you are confirming that you accept that all intellectual property rights to your suggestion pass to us. We may use the suggestion, or have it used, for any purpose and if you want to claim rights over your suggestion in the hope of securing a reward you should not submit your ideas to this scheme.