Has anybody considered (or is considering) new innovative methods of consultation for future plans? I think most LPAs have use of LDF consultation systems (e.g. Citrusabode), but in general they seem to just replicate what we have always done in way of comment/object/support this that or the other. Useful, but not quite so interactive or user-generated as what it could be. We have been toying with the idea of testing issues and options and gettting the public to come up with their own ideas and then be rated and commented on by others online. I suppose similar to the YourFreedom website the Government set up or Amazon. An option for dealing with an issue could be suggested, people could then vote on it (1-5) and also comment. They could give it a thumbs up or down. This way it could possibly tie in with the bottom-up agenda. Forums where the Council has almost an obligation to respond may become difficult to adminster and time consuming e.g. comments on a blog or a facebook group/page. Or perhaps Council's shouldn't be doing any of this, after all the big society can do it, and do it already. Single issue opposition groups are already good at setting up websites. Any thoughts or progess made elsewhere in these murky times would be helpful.
