Management of consultation across GLA functional bodies

Report: 14
Date: 26 June 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

The report outlines the position with regards to the management of consultation across the Greater London Authority's functional bodies and how the MPA is engaging in this.

A. Recommendation

The Committee is asked to note the Authority's involvement in the management of consultation across the Greater London Authority.

B. Supporting information

1. A high degree of commonality has been identified regarding the consultation requirements for all the functional bodies within the Greater London Authority. As a result, the MPA is seeking to work jointly with the GLA where there are mutual interests and/or benefits to be gained. This report maps the GLA's current position on consultation and external arrangements.

Stakeholder list

2. The GLA has developed a stakeholder list. In part, this list has derived from utilising existing networks and organisations. The GLA has also sought to develop stakeholder capacity eg: the Black Londoners' Forum, where networks need strengthening or gaps exist. A team of officers is assigned to develop links with these stakeholders and GLA-wide working groups have been set up to support this work e.g. the young people's working group and others on which the MPA is represented.

3. Due to the extensive nature of the work to be undertaken a consultant's report has advised the GLA to refocus its external relations priorities in order to help it manage the size of stakeholder list with which it is dealing. A review of its external relations work has therefore commenced and the MPA shall await the outcome of this in order to know how to progress with the GLA on joint work with stakeholders.

Strategy consultation

4. The Mayor has a duty to consult Londoners on his draft strategies. The GLA circulates the strategies using the stakeholder list to seek their comment and feedback. Further work is also carried out to directly engage interested groups in active consultation, as well as other groups, eg: children, less immediately involved or reached. The MPA has been invited to have a presence at some of the events held by the GLA. There is possibly work here for developing a consultation calendar so that all partners are better aware of each other's consultation activity and are able to contribute to these.

Consultation roadshow

5. The GLA is planning a series of meetings between its members and senior officers and Chief Executives from local authorities and other key partners across London. The purpose of these meetings will bear a similarity to the intention of the Chair of the MPA to visit boroughs individually. This has highlighted a need for at least the MPA and GLA to review and, where feasible, rationalise meetings that are held to minimise "consultation fatigue" and maximise public engagement and confidence. MPA officers will liaise with GLA staff on the programme of the Chair's meetings.

GLA best value review of consultation and engagement

6. The GLA is programmed to carry out a best value review of 'consultation and engagement' in the autumn. It will require functional bodies to be part of this review. As the MPA has already recently completed its own review (March 2001), we will not be required to re-review consultation. However, officers will be part of the project management arrangements set up to oversee the review and it is envisaged our key contributions will be at the outset when we share our findings and methodology experiences, and then later when the review's findings emerge and their implications for functional bodies, e.g. re proposals for joint initiatives, are considered. Much detail for the review is still to be worked out. There were proposals from the MPA's best value review for greater joint working on consultation with pan-London organisations. Due to the high level of requirement for consultation by all functional bodes and the GLA there is an urgent need for officers to continue exploring this important issue.

Officers' meetings

7. Regular meetings take place between GLA and MPA officers on external relations and consultation issues. One particular section of the community that MPA members are concerned about engaging is young people. The GLA working group dealing with this stakeholder group has met regularly, but the work has been affected by the refocusing review (see paragraph 3 above). Further details on the agenda and progress of this group will be brought to Committee when the group recommences.

C. Financial implications

None specific to this report.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Jude Sequeira.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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