Public Engagement

Hampshire Police Authority: Valuing our Police workshop, January 2011

The authority seeks to ensure that all voices across the community are heard as part of the policing plan decision making process in the context of severe cuts to budgets. A major input this year was this workshop, involving over 100 residents from across the county. Presentations from Constabulary staff preceded our filmed series of focus groups. The ASR team planned, facilitated and reported on this full day event.Our report is available on the Authority’s website here

‘The Authority was delighted with the really good demographic and geographical representation of the attendees. Andrew and his team tackled the sensitive and emotive topics in a measured and balanced manner, ensuring all participants could contribute to these important debates. The Members really valued and benefited from the excellent debriefing session and thorough supporting report. The results of the day with the other engagement activities were heard at a variety of committee meetings prior to the Authority setting its policing plan and budget for 2011/12′ Lou Parker-Jones, Strategy & Delivery Manager, Hampshire Police Authority

Thames Valley Police Authority: Priorities for policing 2010This was a major review of the public’s experience of law and order and attitudes towards the priorities for policing. The results were required as input to a 3-year strategic plan. In an environment of severe constraints on policing budgets nationally, it was especially important to understand what the public expected of their police and where they felt savings and improvements could be made.We made a wide range of suggestions in our published reports – available here
Our consultation combined a major online/face to face survey with a series of 10 focus groups with audiences ranging from ethic minorities to the LGBT community, and youth to those with disabilities.

Surrey Police Authority: Targeted consultationIt’s often the case that certain groups are under-represented in wider public consultations – and often the groups that need more support and protection. Discussion group feedback from the ethnic minority and LGBT communities in Surrey helped the Police Authority understand particular needs, experiences and gaps in delivery.Our consultation combined a major online/face to face survey with a series of 10 focus groups with audiences ranging from ethic minorities to the LGBT community, and youth to those with disabilities.

‘Surrey Police Authority worked with Andrew Smith Research to run focus group sessions with harder-to-reach groups as part of our annual consultation on policing priorities. With thoughtful, bespoke planning and total attention to detail, Andrew made sure that the sessions met all of our requirements, providing real engagement with these communities to elicit valuable insights into policing priorities.’
Paul Rowan, Communications Officer, Surrey Police Authority

HM Treasury: Thoresen Review of Generic Financial AdviceThe Thoresen Review took a comprehensive, multi-channel look at how the UK provides people with money guidance for their personal finances. As part of this review a pilot survey ran for 3 months. ASR was charged with managing a thorough evaluation of the service. We used a combination of depth interviews with service users, industry expert observers and the contractors providing this service. This was combined with quantitative surveys with service users and the target market in pilot areas. The Thoresen Review was published in March 2008, and drew many conclusions from our substantial body of research.