Democracy Matters phase 2: analysis of responses

Appendix C: Consultation questions

Consultation questions

The following 16 open questions were included in the Democracy Matters Phase 2 consultation paper.

Q1. How could your community use these types of powers to achieve its ambitions, now and into the future?

Q2. What other powers should be added, and are there some which should be retained by existing decision-makers?

Q3. When thinking about who might be part of new decision-making bodies, what are the best ways to ensure they truly reflect their communities and enhance equality?

Q4. Thinking about your own community, what groups would you like to see represented through other selection methods, and what should these methods be?

Q5. What would the role of local elected representatives be, and what would incentivise other people to take on/be part of decision-making?

Q6. What do you think are the best ways to ensure new decision-making bodies are accountable to their community?

Q7. Are community events a good way to involve local people in scrutinising progress and setting future direction?

Q8. What other mechanisms would help achieve high levels of community participation in local decision-making processes?

Q9. What else should this process include to provide new community decision- making bodies with a strong locally agreed mandate?

Q10. Are there ways to ensure new bodies are still wanted – for example by making them time-bound and subject to renewal ballots?

Q11. How do you think community decision-making bodies should be resourced?

Q.12. Are these the right set of standards to provide reassurance that new community decision-making bodies will be effective and treat everyone with dignity and respect?

Q13. How could a charter be designed to best ensure a positive relationship between community decision-makers and their partners in national and local government and the wider public sector?

Q14. What types of support might communities need to build capacity, and how could this change the role of councils and public sector organisations?

Q15. Are there specific additional powers and resources which would help public sector organisations to work effectively in partnership with new community decision- making bodies?

Q16. Thank you for considering these questions. When sending us your views, please also tell us about anything else you think is important for us to know at this stage.

Questions used in facilitated conversations

The seven facilitated conversations and several of the community conversations held by participants used a shorter version of the questionnaire. This focused on six wider themes encompassing the consultation questions.

Q1: What powers do communities need to take democratic action?

Q2: How would people be selected, and how can people best reflect their communities?

Q3: How can we make sure any new structures are accountable to the community?

Q4: How can the wider community participate in decision-making?

Q5: What resources and standards are required for democratic involvement?

Q6: How can we share and grow skills and knowledge for local democracy?