Consultation launched to shape council’s new Engagement and Participation Strategy

Bridgend County Borough Council have recently launched a consultation to help shape how the council engages with residents about a range of important matters that affect communities right across the county borough.

A draft Participation and Engagement Strategy has been developed to outline the steps that will be taken by the council to keep residents well-informed about all services whilst also consulting with them prior to making any key decisions.

This strategy will not only look to improve existing engagement methods but will also identify new and emerging ways to engage with as many people as possible.

Currently, the council engages with residents through a variety of channels such as:

• Council Website
• Social Media
• My Account
• A varied range of bulletins
• Consultations/Questionnaires/In person engagement sessions
• Customer Services
• Engagement with elected members

The council also have a Citizens Panel which is made up of a group of people who live in Bridgend County Borough and are regularly consulted on services run by the council. Members of the panel can receive up to three surveys per year on a range of topics, services, and issues, as well as receiving regular newsletters to keep them updated.

Another key element of the plan is to ensure that engagement is inclusive across the diverse make up of all local communities in the area. This will be achieved by maintaining and gaining partnerships with key stakeholder groups within the community.

We recognise that meaningful engagement with residents and a diverse range of key stakeholder groups is crucial to building trusting relationships within our local communities.

This new plan will ensure that we engage in the most strategic way possible to make sure that we maximise input from key stakeholders on a range of topics.

Consultation and Engagement also forms a key part of our ‘Delivering Together’ Corporate Plan 2023–28 and regular engagement will help to make sure that we continue to deliver and the meet the needs of communities right across the county borough.

Councillor Rhys Goode, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Regeneration

Residents can share their thoughts on the new strategy on the council’s website. Please note that all participants are advised to read the strategy before sharing their thoughts.