Current Consultations

Wealden Community Engagement Strategy
Community engagement can encompass a wide variety of activities ranging from simple information giving to detailed consultation questionnaires, focus groups and projects. The new draft strategy outlines the way in which the Council will engage with communities, individuals and organisations to involve them in shaping the policies, plans and services that affect life in Wealden. It has been developed to help strengthen the Council’s existing practices and provide a coordinated approach to engagement activities.
 
View the draft Community Engagement Strategy by clicking here:
 
The draft community engagement strategy is available for comment until Wednesday 17 July 2013.
 
Wealden District Council would like to hear from Wealden Residents, Wealden Businesses, Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations, Town and Parish Councils, Service Users and Partners in the Public Sector.
Take part in this survey online.
 
Transforming Legal Aid: consultation closes 4 June 2013
The government is proposing further reforms to the legal aid system specifically designed to save money and is asking for responses from organisations working in this area. Areas that the proposals cover are:

  • Reforms to prison law to ensure that legal aid is not available for matters that do not justify the use of public funds, such as treatment issues
  • Tthe introduction of a household disposable income threshold above which defendants would no longer receive criminal legal aid
  • A residence test for civil legal aid claimants
  • Reforms to reduce the use of legal aid to fund weak judicial reviews
  • Amendments to the civil merits test to prevent the funding of any cases with less than a 50% chance of success

The government is also proposing to introduce competition in the criminal legal aid market and change the way fees are paid in criminal, civil and family cases so that the cost is reduced.
For full details of the consultation click here.
 
Lewes District Scrutiny Review: Valuing the Voluntary and Community Sector
Lewes District Council are starting a review on how they work with the voluntary and community sector.  As part of the review, they are seeking the views of voluntary and community organisations. about local issues, problems to help them develop better policy and service options as a result of any findings.
 
All Panel meetings are open to the public and you can see all the papers for the meetings if you click here.
 
If you would like to get involved, send the council your views or get more information, contact Rachel Allan on 01273 484 174 or email here by clicking here.