Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How do I join the Citizens Panel?
- Why do you need to know details like my age and ethnic origin?
- If I join the Citizens Panel what am I committing myself to?
- Once you have my email address, will I be bombarded with ‘spam’ from the council or other organisations?
- Do I have to attend focus groups?
- How do you select people to invite to focus groups?
- If I join how long am I committed for?
- Why can't people without internet or email to join the panel?
- Do you actually take note of what people tell you in the survey results?
Q. How do I join the Citizens Panel?
A. Visit the council website at www.hart.gov.uk and click on the “Hart to Hart” logo on the Home page which will take you to the citizens panel page. Click the “online registration form” link and complete the registration form to join.
Q. Why do you need to know details like my age and ethnic origin?
A. We have to ensure that the panel is representative of all residents, so we use this demographic data to ensure that as far as possible all groups in the community are represented. It also helps us select special interest groups for particular topics of interest to them. Because we ask for this information when you join, we don’t ask for it again in Citizens Panel surveys (although we do occasionally invite the citizens panel to take part in surveys by partner organisations such as the police where ethnicity and age may be included in the questions).
Q. If I join the Citizens Panel what am I committing myself to?
A. Your only commitment is to agree to receive occasional email alerts from us advising you of a new survey. You are under no obligation to complete every survey – just complete those that you are interested in or have strong opinions on.
Q. Once you have my email address, will I be bombarded with ‘spam’ from the council or other organisations?
A. Definitely not. Your email and personal data are held securely and will not be shared with any other department or outside organisation. We will only use information you provide for the stated purpose of consultation.
Q. Do I have to attend focus groups?
A. If you are invited to join a focus group your attendance is voluntary. You decide whether to accept or ignore the invitation.
Q. How do you select people to invite to focus groups?
A. We try to select people who have expressed an interest in the subject or who fit the demographic profile of a group we wish to consult.
Q. If I join how long am I committed for?
A. You may leave the Citizens Panel at any time, just send an email to consultation@hart.gov.uk advising us that you wish to leave and your details will be removed from the database.
Q. Why can't people without internet or email to join the panel?
A. Telephone and postal surveys are costly and time consuming to run and receive a low response rate. Web based surveys cost very little to run and attract a much higher response rate. The council has to use postal surveys for certain types of statutory consultation, but simply doesn't have the funding to run all consultations this way.
Hart is fortunate in having one of the highest proportion of residents with email and internet access in the country. Public internet access at the libraries, council offices and information points throughout the district, and free web-based email services like Hotmail and Gmail help to make this type of consultation more accessible, although we recognise that inevitably some people will be excluded.
Q. Do you actually take note of what people tell you in the survey results?
A. Definately - there wouldn't be much point in asking the questions if we weren't going to listen to the answers. The results from surveys are used to inform our decision makers of public perception and experience. We can't always deliver what you want if the money isn't available, but we will always try to find a way to respond positively to suggestions made by the panel - and we have improved services and saved money by doing so.
