Want to really engage the community? Don't walk under Arnstein's ladder

Community Consultation is sadly positioned as a tokenistic gesture, an idea still being advanced today, and has marginalised the serious interest and worth of community consultation as a worth process of community engagement.

Consultation, particularly community consultation, with regard to policy decision-making or planning proposals such as an REF or EIS, is the cornerstone of meaningful participation or engagement. You ask the community what they think, and if they don't agree with a proposal you ask them why and take this into account in making your decision. Then you explain the reasons.

If properly conducted, community consultation will achieve a far more equitable decision-making process. In accepting the reality of the modern democratic system in which we live and operate, it underpins the very idea of citizen control that Arnstein advocated but without the anarchistic overtones of French students rushing the barricades.

If used correctly, consultation is the foundation of information provision and establishes the necessary partnership that lets meaningful participation occur. Sadly, all too often community consultation simply comprises an opinion poll as to whether the decision already made is acceptable to a community, and if not, well too bad - let the power struggle commence.

More often than not a PR consultant (euphemistically named in this instance) is engaged to put the best possible spin on the decision and in the event of community concern or opposition, then move into damage control.

A lack of transparency in the process and a limited degree of accountability in determining whether the consultation has been carried out to any degree of community satisfaction has positioned community consultation within the framework of participation advanced by Arnstein. In so doing it will continue to be marginalised and tokenistic.

It is clear from the research and the texts that people want to be included in the decision-making agenda, especially if it has the potential to impact on their lives or locale. Why wouldn't they? People appreciate being consulted but communities are in danger of experiencing consultation overload and little tangible results apparent for their efforts.

Professional planners and policy makers know how to turn data into information, information into knowledge, and knowledge into policy, plans and projects. Too often, however, community groups are participants at the last stage, and without the data or technical knowledge to articulate or even substantiate their positions.

Community consultation should not be a difficult concept. It is about timing and a commitment to the consultation process at the outset of planning. Genuine consultation requires regulators and planners to present information to a community in a user-friendly fashion and at a timely point in the planning process. They need to develop a habit of listening to the public and, importantly in terms of closing the communications loop, provide useful and useable feedback and data to allow that public to make an informed contribution.

Increasingly, the public expects to be consulted. Today planners cannot overlook or revoke this right for a community to be consulted about projects and developments which will impact on the day-to-day lives without risking public anger and suspicion.

Community consultation is not about divesting planning power to a community but rather keeping an open mind with regard to legitimate community concerns about a proposal. In soliciting input and ideas about such a planning proposal, it's about taking the time and effort to provide information and explanations back to those concerned communities.

This offers many advantages for both the planner and the community for which the plan is planned. Informed people make informed decisions. Decision making is not a contest. It is about engaging a community and providing the best workable solutions.

Consultation assists this process. Its time to step out from the shadow of Arnstein's ladder.