South West Hertfordshire Councils Harness Digital Tools for Community Engagement
Five councils in South West Hertfordshire have collaborated to implement a pilot programme aimed at enhancing public engagement through digital tools and social media polling. The initiative, designed to support a joint strategic plan for the region, successfully generated significant participation, enabling local authorities to better understand the community’s long-term priorities.
The Planning Challenge
The local councils face the challenge of developing a cohesive strategic plan that accommodates the diverse needs across five distinct districts. Traditional engagement methods, such as lengthy documents and in-person consultations, have often struggled to attract input from younger demographicsand under-represented groups, making it crucial for authorities to modernise their approach.
The councils’ objectives included:
- Increasing awareness of the strategic plan
- Attracting younger residents, particularly those aged 18 to 25
- Presenting planning information in an accessible format
- Conducting a broader and more inclusive consultation
- Discovering community-level priorities across all participating districts
Implementation of the Digital Programme
The pilot programme utilised a range of digital tools to engage the community effectively. Planners, communications experts, digital teams, and various suppliers collaborated to create an interactive consultation experience.
Key actions taken included:
- Launching a social media polling initiative using the platform Give My View, initially tested with a youth forum
- Developing an interactive consultation document hosted on Engagement HQ, featuring embedded surveys and engaging visuals
- Producing brief explainer videos and graphics in collaboration with Penknife, simplifying planning terminology
- Promoting the consultation via newsletters, social media, and local press
- Distributing QR-coded materials in educational institutions and public venues
- Directing targeted digital advertising towards young people
- Collaborating with Iceni Projects for poll design and analysis
- Establishing a youth forum to shape consultation questions
This multi-channel strategy allowed residents to respond quickly to straightforward polls while also exploring detailed content at their convenience.
Results and Impact
The digital campaign yielded impressive participation rates, collecting substantial feedback from residents across the five districts. Notable outcomes included:
- 3,122 participants engaged in the polling process, casting a total of 24,734 votes
- Over 5,000 detailed comments were submitted, providing valuable insights into community priorities
- Digital marketing efforts reached more than 229,000 individuals
- Increased involvement from older residents compared to a previous 2020 consultation, while younger participation improved through targeted strategies
- Strong community interest in sustainable infrastructure and green living solutions emerged as prominent priorities
Comparison with Previous Engagement
A review comparing this year’s engagement to the 2020 consultation revealed encouraging trends. Though the 2022 poll was lengthier and covered more complex issues, it attracted improved overall engagement:
- Visits rose from 10,647 in 2020 to 15,944 in 2022
- Participants answered 24,734 questions, compared to 15,042 in the prior year
- Comments surged from 2,082 to 5,198
- The number of voters remained relatively stable, despite a shorter campaign period
These findings suggest that embracing digital tools may enhance outreach and lead to richer community feedback.
Lessons Learned
The councils identified several key takeaways from the experience:
- Digital tools can expand reach but necessitate targeted outreach to engage younger residents
- Utilising clear language and visuals is essential for keeping public interest
- A combination of digital and traditional methods is beneficial for engaging diverse demographics
- A multidisciplinary team is vital for effective consultation implementation
- Polling methods should be straightforward to simplify reporting
- Continuous engagement with younger demographics is needed to foster a feedback loop
- Monitoring variations in response across districts is crucial during consultations
Looking Ahead
In light of the pilot’s results, Hertfordshire County Council plans to leverage these insights in developing a new Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) to succeed the South West Hertfordshire Joint Strategic Plan. The councils aim to refine their digital engagement strategies further, ensuring clarity and accessibility remain at the forefront of future consultations.
Source: official statements, news agencies, and public reports.
https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/south-west-hertfordshire-boosts-engagement-with-digital-tools
