CONSULTATION AND PUBLIC

ENGAGEMENTBuilding relationships

CONSULTATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTThere are clear legal requirements for consultation and engagement with stakeholders when making changes to public services. Community expectations also have to be managed. Public bodies have to consider both of these if they are to be successful.

In the past, consultation and engagement with stakeholders, including local communities, were considered to be optional extras or ‘boxes to be ticked’ as quickly as possible. Now they are rightly recognised as essential elements of any successful project.

BDB Pitmans advises clients on the legal and communications issues around consultation, engagement and other issues concerning the delivery of projects in a range of fields. The team combines legal expertise with a specialist public affairs and communications capability. As a result, we provide our clients with comprehensive advice on the legal and policy contexts, together with an appreciation of reputational and political issues.

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS – HOW WE CAN HELP

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MANAGING RISK Beyond statutory requirements and evolving expectations, a strategic approach to consultation and public engagement is best practice. It can facilitate informed debate, minimise misinformation, build constructive relationships with communities, stakeholders and opinion-formers, and, ultimately, deliver a service that could be better for all concerned.

Consultation is also an essential part of risk management, reducing the prospects of legal challenge and minimising financial risk by mitigating against potential delays to deliver greater certainty over timescales. It can also help avoid any reputational risks to an organisation by ensuring that it has acted transparently and fairly in preparing and delivering its proposals.

HOW WE CAN HELPOur team combines legal and communications expertise, meaning that we can provide clients with advice on all aspects of consultation and public engagement, legal and practical, as part of a project team.

“The staff BDB Pitmans deploy are very able and proactive. I have confidence in their ability.” Chambers and Partners UK 2020

WHAT DOES THIS INCLUDE?• scoping audits – to help clients understand relevant

political priorities, identify key stakeholders, opinion-formers and influencers, and highlight potential opportunities and challenges;

• strategic communications programmes – to ensure that clients engage with their stakeholders, manage challenging issues and, where possible, identify and contextualise opposition;

• case building – to provide clients with advice on building the detailed case for a proposed change. In addition to managing issues constructively and proactively, this also includes ensuring that objections are properly managed and addressed – a fundamental aspect of any project;

• audit of consultation programmes – to review clients’ existing programmes of consultation to ensure that they are in accordance with statutory and policy requirements, as well as meeting the community’s needs;

• discrimination issues – advising on all relevant duties, including the public sector equality duty, and ensuring compliance;

• delivery of consultation programmes – to support clients in the preparation and delivery of detailed consultation programmes. This can include the preparation of written and electronic consultation materials, the provision of telephone information lines, the management of public exhibitions and other events, developing a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to help build the case, and the management of consultation responses;

• potential challenges – identifying weak spots in a consultation programme and avoiding likely challenges; and

• media relations and crisis communications – to support clients in using the media as part of their public engagement strategy, and to minimise any potential reputational risks associated with a consultation.

“BDB quietly powerful and pragmatic.” Chambers and Partners UK 2019

Stuart Thomson (Head of Public Affairs)T +44 (0)20 7783 3439 E stuartthomson@bdbpitmans.com

@redpolitics

GET IN TOUCHBDB Pitmans is leading UK law firm with offices in Cambridge, London, Reading and Southampton. Many of our lawyers and advisers are recognised leaders in their practice areas – their knowledge and expertise helps us to provide a unique, client centred approach to law.

CONTACT DETAILS

www.bdbpitmans.com/publicaffairsblog

“BDB Pitmans is very customer focused, practical and always looking for solutions. Very knowledgeable and clearly experts in their field.” Legal 500 UK 2020

Matthew Smith (Partner)T +44 (0)20 7783 3602 E matthewsmith@bdbpitmans.com

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© BDB Pitmans LLP 2019T +44 (0)345 222 9222 W www.bdbpitmans.com Cambridge | London | Reading | Southampton