Warrington Borough Council is committed to improving the way we consult and engage with our communities.  This lies at the heart of what we do in being able to deliver the high quality services that people want and expect.

Effective community consultation enables the council to better understand its clients and customers whilst encouraging the most efficient use of public resources and enables evidence-based decision making.

The terms consultation, involvement and engagement are often misunderstood or used interchangeably. All are about listening to the views of local people in order to shape services, develop policy or take action.

Consultation is the process of asking for and listening to the views of local people or groups with the aim of influencing decisions, policies or actions.

Involvement is a process in which people actively participate, and during which the council exchanges information with them and seeks their views.

Engagement involves an on-going mutually beneficial two-way partnership between the council and stakeholders. Decision-making may be shared between the parties.