In this edition, we’re looking at how national and local governments are better understanding their community’s health and wellbeing needs through online consultations.
We’re also updating you on how local councils in the UK are progressing with some of their new responsibilities, including creating Local Nature Recovery Strategies and digitising their Traffic Regulation Orders.
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Customer insights and inspiration:
Australia Seeks Public Views on Autism Health Roadmap
The Australian Department of Health and Aged Care has started a public consultation on its plan to address issues faced by autistic people in the healthcare system. They want to make sure the correct support is available to everyone, and that autism doesn’t correlate with worse physical and mental health outcomes.
Their survey consists of several sections. Firstly, it looks at the guiding principles of their strategy, such as whether the families and carers of autistic individuals should be involved in ‘co-design’ of decisions that affect them. Or, the extent to which the system should be universal vs catered to specific priority groups, including First Nations peoples or those who live in rural areas.
Then, it turns to looking at specific policies, levers, and gaps in the current system. Key topics include health literacy resources for autistic people — like when you might need to see a professional or how to make appointments through the mobile health app. Safeguarding is another big issue, with the debate of individual autonomy vs informed consent requiring significant public input.
Birmingham asks Residents How Mental Health Support is Best Delivered
The pandemic brought us many things — face masks, flexible work practices, and social distancing — and while not without its silver linings, it seems to have left a persistent stain on the mental and physical health of the UK.
To reverse the trend of stagnating productivity, Birmingham City Council have started a conversation on their ‘Mentally Healthier City’ strategy. They recognise that mental health factors strongly affect our ability to work, study, and maintain relationships, but that translating this into effective support schemes is much less clear.
The survey asks residents to rank 20+ policy initiatives that other cities in the UK have taken, such as establishing youth clubs, offering practical parent support, or making natural spaces more accessible. It also invites respondents to share their vision of what a mentally healthy city looks like, and where small changes in their neighbourhood could make a big difference to overall community wellbeing. When everyone is a part of the discussion, it means no one is left behind.
Lewisham Council Wants to Understand Challenges of Vaping in Schools
Teenage vaping has become something of an epidemic in the UK, with a 2022 survey showing that 29.1% of 16 to 17-year-olds have tried e-cigarettes at least once. This is especially alarming given the rise of ‘black market’ vapes that contain heavy metals or even more harmful substances like spice. However, unlike smoked tobacco products, vapes are hard to detect and spot the signs of.
In an effort to crack down on their popularity, Lewisham Council started a dialogue with school staff, students, and parents within their community. They want to know the root causes of why students pick up vaping — whether it’s due to exam stress, issues at home, or simply wanting to fit in — and how they actually buy the products. The consultation then suggests some remedies, including installing vape alarms in school bathrooms that would instantly send a text message to staff.
The Labour government is currently considering whether to ban disposable vapes entirely, as per the recommendation of the British Medical Association, and it’s hoped this consultation will inform a cohesive national strategy against vaping in schools.
Essex County Council Publishes Major Local Nature Recovery Strategy
Okay folks, this one is huge! You may remember that, with the passing of the Environment Act back in 2021, the UK became the first country in the world to require by law that nature be enhanced. To make this dream a reality, 48 local authorities were asked to produce Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) — each including a local habitat map and set of biodiversity priorities.
Now, Essex County Council can applaud itself for being one of the first off the blocks, with the release of their public consultation at the end of August. People from all walks of life are invited to take part, whether you’re a farmer, city-dweller, property developer, or member of a community group.
The Essex plan focuses on where new habitats — such as woodlands, grasslands, green urban spaces, freshwater and marine zones — could be made bigger, better, and more connected. It outlines several spatial planning strategies, like how to identify sites where housebuilders could achieve Biodiversity Net Gain, or less-productive land for farmers to leave space. And we’re just giving you the short version!
Let’s not beat around the bush: Essex’s plan is ambitious. To put the brakes on 50 years of biodiversity loss and double the coverage of green/blue spaces by 2030 will take a joined-up effort from everyone. So, if you live in the area, why not get involved? Local feedback is one of the best ways we can make sure human needs and nature recovery go hand in hand.
Nottinghamshire Goes Digital with Traffic Regulation Orders
You won’t need to buy a newspaper in Robin Hood Country to learn about changes to the local road system anymore! These days, more and more councils are digitising their Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), making them easier for residents to learn about and share their views.
Nottinghamshire County Council have made extensive use of Citizen Space for this task. In the past month, they’ve run 30+ public engagements on topics such as new locations for bus stops, zebra crossings, and double yellow lines, as well as revisited speed limits on sections of roads. Local people, including taxi drivers, delivery workers, and commuters, are invited to weigh in with their expertise.
Industry and legislative news:
Labour’s National Planning Policy Framework in Public Consultation
Every local council in the UK has to play by the rules of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) when they consider where things should be built. It’s been updated six times since its inception in 2012, and now Labour is putting their stamp on it for the first time.
We’re summarising the 5 key takeaways from the NPPF below:
- Housing Targets Are Back: The government is setting a national target of 370K new homes per year, and local councils will need to create (or update) their plans for suitable sites.
- Goodbye “Beauty”, Hello Local Character: The emphasis on “beauty” in design is out, replaced by a focus on adhering to the National Model Design Code or creating local design guidelines. Expect more local consultations on what this looks like in your area.
- Shaking Up Land Classification: The NPPF now identifies areas within existing Green Belt land that may be suitable for development (called ‘Grey Belt’ land), while brownfield sites remain a priority.
- Fast-Tracking Key Industries: Councils are now expected to prioritise land for vital industries like digital technology, renewable energy, and essential public services (hospitals, schools, etc).
- Density Boost for Homeowners: Planning rules on home extensions are being relaxed to encourage densification and make better use of existing housing stock.
Now is your chance to have your say on these proposed changes. The NPPF’s consultation period runs until late September, giving everyone an opportunity to share their views and help shape the future of their communities.
If you’d like to leave feedback on any of the proposals in the revised National Planning Policy Framework, please respond via the government’s Citizen Space consultation page.
National D-TRO System Poised for Launch
Across the UK, councils are using Citizen Space to engage with citizens on changes to road traffic rules in their area. This practice is reflective of changes at the national level, with a new Digital Traffic Regulation Order (D-TRO) system coming into effect this September.
Under the new system, the Department for Transport (DfT) will be able to create a central database of every traffic rule — meaning autonomous vehicles and GPS systems will have a better idea of the reality of the road network. It’ll also make public consultation on transport planning an easier exercise, which is great timing given the updates to the NPPF.
If you’d like to learn more about what this means for local authorities, you might find our planning for D-TROs article a worthwhile read.
🤝 Upcoming events
Making Community Engagement Meaningful (September 11-12, Online): This online course from The Consultation Institute is designed for anyone looking to build stronger, more authentic relationships with their communities. Over two mornings, the course will cover best practice engagement techniques, planning strategies, effective reporting, and more. Register your interest on The Consultation Institute website.
Preparing for a Public Consultation (September 24, Online): Later in the month, The Consultation Institute is also running a course on how to run a successful public consultation. You’ll learn best practice approaches for stakeholder identification and analysis, pre-consultation engagement, and scoping a robust consultation process. Sign up via this link.
The Future of Neighbourhood Plans (September 25, Online): This webinar, hosted by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), will explore the priorities of community planning during this parliament. The focus will be on bridging the interest gap between developers, councils, and local planning authorities. Learn more on the NALC website.
