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Last Updated: 2/12/2005
The following template is a best practice example of a written consultation document:
1. Foreword/Introduction
Many consultation documents carry a foreword from the relevant Government Minister. This would be particularly appropriate for major or high profile policy proposals. A ministerial foreword will outline the aims of the consultation and may add weight to the process.
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3.2 Provide an executive summary to the written consultation document that covers the main points of the document, preferably no longer than two pages. Even if the document is technical, ensure that the executive summary is accessible to all. Having read the executive summary, consultees should be in a position to decide whether the consultation is relevant to them, and whether they need to read further.
Code of Practice on Consultation, Criterion 3, p.8
The Executive Summary should:
It is useful to include a very brief overview of each chapter of the document, or each option under discussion. This will enable those respondents who have little time to quickly decide which sections of the document they should focus on most closely.
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This section should include:
4.3 The consultation document should state the date when, and the web address where, the summary of responses will be published. As far as possible this should be within three months of the closing date of the consultation.
Code of Practice on Consultation, Criterion 4, p.9
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Each chapter should give information on a discrete issue relevant to the consultation, or one of the proposed policy options. Chapters should be comprehensive, but as concise as possible. Ensure that you use plain language throughout and explain fully any unavoidable abbreviations, acronyms or technical language.
It is useful to summarise the information contained in the chapter in a very brief introductory paragraph – draw attention to this by highlighting the text in bold or a different colour. Similarly, make sure that each chapter has a clear conclusion.
If your chapter outlines a key policy option, you should:
In each chapter, re–iterate the questions from your summary of questions which are pertinent to that particular topic/policy option. Highlight these in a shaded box or a different colour so that they stand out clearly.
Include relevant case studies or practical examples wherever possible in each chapter. This breaks up what might otherwise be dry, sometimes theoretical or technical text and allows the reader to identify with the issues under discussion more easily. Again, it is useful to distinguish these from the main body of the text by highlighting them in a different colour or a shaded box.
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The following items should be included somewhere in your consultation document. It is usually best to attach these as annexes at the end.
3.9 The consultation criteria should be reproduced in all consultation documents. Explicitly state that the consultation should abide by these criteria… Explicitly state whom to contact if respondents have comments or complaints about the consultation process.
Code of Practice on Consultation, Criterion 3, p.8
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