The People's Voice

The People’s Voice is a Citizen’s Panel - a common market research tool in the public sector. It involves a statistically representative sample of residents who are willing and available to act as a sounding board on such matters as the future policies and priorities of the council and on the quality of services provided.

Consultation is normally carried out by postal questionnaire. However panellists are also available to participate in focus groups, citizen’s juries and other forms of in-depth research. People’s Voice was launched n 1998 when it became apparent that improved market research was necessary to assist in the implementation of both national and local initiatives such as best value and community planning.

The county council and the four district councils established the Panel under a partnership agreement and it is co-ordinated by the Wiltshire Market Research Group. Under the agreement the county council provides the resources to deliver and maintain the panel, including a market research specialist, and costs are shared by the participating councils. Since its inception the Police and Health Authority have also participated.

In order to recruit the Panel 40,000 questionnaires and invitations were sent out to residents generated at random from electoral registers. Some subsequent ‘top up’ recruiting both from the electoral registers and from GP lists was required to ensure that the panel profile matched the demographic profile of the county.

At present there are around 1,200 residents in the district on the Panel.

Four questionnaires are sent out each year based on March, June, September and November slots.

So far the Panel has been used to:

  • consult residents on the priorities for the Community Plans;
  • provide background data to assist in the development of the best value service review timetable;
  • provide information on awareness, satisfaction and use of services;
  • assisted with the preparation of the budget 2006/07; and
  • provide information to support the development of the Crime and Disorder Strategy, the Arts Strategy and the Transportation Strategy.

However it is recognised that the People’s Voice cannot meet all the research and consultation requirements of the council. Other techniques are required, for example, where a service has a low number of users or when the council is targeting particular groups of residents.

Making your views known

Contact details:

Telephone:
01722 434408

email:
surveys@salisbury.gov.uk

Postal address:
Democratic Services
Salisbury District Council
PO Box 2117
Salisbury
SP2 2DF