From More Responsive Services to a Direct Say in Decision-Making

Abstract

The argument for information-gathering and consultation has been a simple one. People aren’t being heard. Councils are unresponsive because they are out of touch. Welfare agencies are insulated from their clients. Boundaries have become barriers. ‘Listening to the voice of the consumer’ could overcome this. But is the key problem stopping us from having a say really one of communication? Is it just because they don’t know what we want that the people running our services and neighbourhoods get things wrong? It seems doubtful.