Building Panels in Beds.

Continuing a recent trend among public sector organisations on both sides of the Atlantic, five authorities in the English county of Bedfordshire are to establish their own panel of consumers, BedsVoice, to assess public services.

The Bedfordshire Consultation Group is made up of Bedfordshire County Council, Mid Beds District Council, South Bedfordshire District Council, the Police Authority and the Fire and Rescue Service, each providing equal funding.

The new panel, which is now being telephone recruited by independent agency SMSR, will have more than 5,000 members. Surveys will be administered by a variety of means - post, telephone, online, in focus groups and in larger meetings.

The partners say the combined effort will 'save public money and cut down 'questionnaire fatigue' by reducing the numbers of times local people are asked for their views during the year.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.