As with all research it is important to identify what you need to know and why you need to know it.  This helps you can narrow the focus of the data you require to gather and identify the most relevant sources.

A key issue which will influence the nature of the consultation is what you will be using the information for. Consultation is most frequently required by the need for:

• Evidence required for an external funding application
• Evidence for CPA BVPI 119a
• Evidence to determined sport’s contribution to LAA key priorities
• Evidence to determine demand for a new locally-funded development or service
• Evidence of need for Section 106 contributions for sport provision

It is rarely the case that local data needs to be collated from scratch. A lot of data will already exist in your department relating to, for example, local demography, number of service users and user profiles (total number and site-by-site), customer complaints and suggestions, management reports etc. In addition, your local authority may have implemented a council-wide local consultation strategy and have placed the findings from local consultation on an intranet site which you can access.

Having identified what you need to know you should undertake an audit and analysis of what relevant data already exists before deciding to consult directly with your customers. Likely sources of information are:-

• Annual surveys commissioned by your local authority
• Data from citizens panel surveys
• Data from LDF statement of community involvement
• Relevant data from NOP household surveys at super output area or ward level
• Data from CPA BVPI 119a results
• Data from consultation undertaken by key partners
• Data from your Regional Development Agency
• Data from other local strategies, eg playing pitch strategies, open space, childrens play
• Data from County Sports Partnerships and Community Sports Networks

Obviously you may not need to consult all existing local sources of information. Some will better suit your needs than others as shown in the diagram below:

Having collated and analysed existing local data you need to identify whether the conclusions drawn have told you what you stated you needed to know at the outset. If not, what information is missing?  If some information is missing then obviously you need to identify who can provide you with the information.

It is at this stage you will most likely have to consult with stakeholders.  The IDeA suggests that some consultations may include some or all of the following stakeholders:

• Residents
• Customers
• None users and potential users
• Members
• Staff
• Carers and families
• Businesses
• Partner organisations
• Voluntary groups
• Interest or pressure groups
• Communities
• Groups of people defined by a common factor ie. Age, disability, gender, ethnicity
• Hard-to-reach groups

What is extremely important is that you ensure that the stakeholders you consult are truly representative of the target group; for example, you cannot interpret the opinions of young people in one area as being representative of all young people in a whole community. In this situation you would need to consult with groups of young people from all areas which make up that community.

If you would like more guidance on how to plan consultation then visit IDeA.  Here you can find information on consulting with external audiences and the different methods through which this can be achieved.  You will also find a consultation toolkit you can download.  

The IDeA also provides guidance on how you can utilise consultation findings in performance management in its Performance Management Resource Pack.  You can get additional information on local consultation methods and related training events from the Local Authorities Research and Intelligence Association.

Sport specific data may also be available from your Regional Sports Board who has most likely undertaken local consultation as part of its planning process.  You can find out more about your Regional Plan or get Regional contact details on the relevant Sport England regional page.

Data collation must be planned and logical.  For more information on the process of data collation visit Route map to data collation.

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