The Illusion of Participation

We have engagement officers, focus groups, too many newsletters and useless pieces of paper, board member leaseholders, getting-involved register, 'consultations' and endless meetings. Our cup is overflowing, or is it?

First of all, let's note that the newsletters etc. are one-way 'communication' containing THH spin with a rosy tinted view of themselves. There's no space for comments by us (apart from the fictional satisfied customer in one of the last ones, let's see who it is?) and no space for anything realistic. Indeed, close inspection, reveals only grinning aspirational photographs unconnected with THH.

Second let's take the 'optional' consultation and engagement. First of all, we wouldn't need 'engagement' officers, if there was any genuine good-faith. Genuine and persistent engagement would follow and remain. These actions are designed to fill attendance sheets with signatures and produce minutes which are then discarded. They don't change anything at all. As if!

Lastly, let's take formal consultations, for major works. Our experience (together with the expensive 'partnership' contract) has shown that these are a formality and are only made, for the briefest time, for legal reasons. As such, they exist in the barest legality and can probably be challenged (for example, has any recent section 20 every changed anything?) in the LVT.

So, for the Audit Commission and other oversight bodies, the illusion of participation is created, but it is an illusion, nothing changes, the arrogant, expensive, unresponsive gravy-train rolls ever on.