Help us shape how we engage
We want your views to help shape our new Engagement and Consultation Strategy, which aims to ensure everyone's voice is heard when decisions are made that affect their lives.
We’re committed to putting residents at the heart of our decision-making so that, together, we can create a thriving Wokingham Borough.
Our vision is simple: to make Wokingham Borough a place where everyone can thrive, by ensuring residents are central to every major decision.
Last year, we took significant steps to improve how we engage with you and many residents recognised this progress.
An important part of that is creating a strategy setting out how we’ll work closely with you to shape decisions that matter. The strategy provides a clear framework to do that and we’re now ready to share it with you for your feedback.
Tell us what you think of our strategy
You can view the document below in full and leave your comments. You can also have your say by responding to our short survey.
We consulted widely with you on the strategy’s guiding principles in October and November and since then we’ve been looking at the 1,160+ responses.
We have used your feedback to help shape our draft strategy.
Now, we’d like to know what you think as we work towards a final agreed strategy ready to begin implementing later this year.
Phases
Analyse data and draft strategy
We asked you what you thought of our proposed principles and asked how you would like to be consulted and engaged with.
You told us that trust and impact matter, and that you want clear evidence your input influences decisions.
Responses indicated that transparency is essential, with regular updates and clear explanations of how and why decisions are made. Early involvement in the decision‑making process was also seen as important, alongside the need for consultations to be better promoted, including through more direct notifications.
There was a strong call for information to be shared in clear, jargon‑free language and for engagement to be inclusive, reflecting those most affected by decisions rather than just the most vocal groups. Responses also highlighted the need to address accessibility barriers, particularly for people with disabilities or limited digital access. Consultations were expected to be open, unbiased and allow free‑form feedback, with surveys kept short, simple and focused.
We also gathered feedback from six target groups, that we hear from less frequently:
- People with learning disabilities
- Young people aged between 11 and 18
- People aged between 18 and 40
- People who are financially struggling
- People who are ethnically diverse
- Representatives of businesses, organisations and community groups
You can read more in our report.