Public Participation Commitments co-designed with residents
Residents in RBKC came together to celebrate collaboration on a new Charter for Public Participation Commitments, the first of its kind for local councils. Between July and September, 12 residents worked alongside Council staff to create the Public Participation Commitments, a new guide for how the council consults and engages with the community. If approved by Full Council on 3rd December, these Commitments will replace the original charter.
The original charter was launched in 2020, setting out how residents can contribute to shaping local services and “have a voice in decision-making.” The council “pledged to review this document five years on,” a promise that it said, reflects its “commitment to the Grenfell Inquiry Report, ensuring residents’ voices are heard and valued.”
A 12-week consultation was initially launched in March, asking residents to share their views on how public participation can be improved in local decision-making. The feedback “laid the groundwork for co-designed sessions that ultimately shaped the new Commitments.”
During the sessions, residents explored the language, tone, and focus of the new document. They called for:
- greater accountability from the council
- a system to monitor impact and whether the new Charter is being embedded
- more transparency to help rebuild and strengthen trust
- a clearer, more human tone in the Commitments, making it easier to understand
- more meaningful feedback following consultation processes
Another “strong theme” was a need to meet people in their own spaces, including young people and underrepresented groups, as well as ensuring that the Commitments are accessible and inclusive, including being made available in different languages.
In the last session, residents got to work rewriting sections of the original Charter, looking at language and key areas they thought were missing. A full version will be included in the Council’s Constitution, along with a shorter “quick-read” and a resident-requested infographic.
A new framework will also measure how the Commitments are being delivered, supported by a resident oversight group to “hold the Council to account.”
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