What is a Citizens' Panel?
The Citizens' Panel is made up of approximately 1,200 adults aged 18-80 who represent the population of the borough to provide an "ordinary persons' perspective". To maintain objectivity the panel is "refreshed" (i.e. new members recruited, existing ones asked to leave) by a third every year.
How does it work?
We send questionnaires to panel members three times a year. We also ask Panel members regularly, if they would like to join our Readers and Discussion Panel, these panels take part in focus groups, workshops and interviews. Panel members receive a newsletter with each survey, informing them of survey findings, proposed actions and achievements, these newsletters can also be accessed on-line (see link below).
The Panel allows us to consult with an easily accessible group of people and we can consult with them in a variety of ways on a regular basis. There is the opportunity for a range of questions to be asked each time the Panel is surveyed and we aim to cover areas of interest to the general population. Below are a selcetion of some of the services/areas we have asked about so far.
The Panel compliments the existing (and developing) community networks and forums, and is a useful way of gaining views from the community on broad strategic issues.
Benefits of using the Panel
The Panel provides a number of significant benefits:
- It enables consultation on large strategic issues. For instance, the Place Survey, the Community Plan, Council Budgets etc. It provides easily accessible, regular and robust information on attitudes, perceptions, vision and behaviour of local people.
- It provides a method through which consultation can be more effectively co-ordinated thereby reducing over lap, fatigue and cost. For instance each survey contains questions from different service areas.
- It develops and enhances opportunities for participation, providing benefits for individuals and the general population. It builds on current methods of getting involved, for example; voting, community networks, school governors, voluntary and community activity and service user groups. Panel members are encouraged to take part in other activities.
- It improves public relations. Organisations that have panels are seen to be listening and acting organisations. Participants have said that they felt listened to and involved in decision making. An excellent and regular source of reliable data and information.
- It provides a cost-effective method for consulting large numbers of people.
Limitations of a Panel
The method of recruiting hard to reach groups, i.e. quota sampling, makes the Panel unsuitable as method of gathering Best Value Quality of Life performance indicator data. A maximum of four to six postal surveys per year to each panel member is the maximum recommended; any more than this then the Panel can become "too knowledgeable" and response rates reduce.
How is the Panel Used
Since 2001 we have used the panel to:
- Collect views on Wigan council and the borough.
- Monitor the performance of the council and its services.
- To support the work of Best Value Reviews and health scrutiny.
- To recruit residents for further consultations on specific issues.
- To improve communication and develop public consultation.
More Information
If you would like to know more about the Citizens Panel contact the Team and look out for the newsletters summarising each survey's results available on this site.
Consultation topics
- Advice Services
- Best Value Performance Indicators
- Car Parks
- Community Safety Strategy Review
- Council Budgets
- Crime and Disorder
- Experience of Crime
- Hospitals
- Overall satisfaction within the council
- Panel Profile
- Parks and Open Spaces
- Pest Control
- Place Survey
- Private Housing
- Public Information and Communication
- Public Toilets, Litter and Dog Fouling
- Quality of life in the Borough
