Desmond M. Connor

Public Participation in Western Europe
	Current Status and Trends Questionnaire

I write to seek your help to describe the current status and trends in public participation in your country, as part of a paper and a panel discussion at the annual conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA), Glasgow, Scotland, mid-June 1999. This session is being organized by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2).

1. How would you describe the CURRENT STATUS of public participation in planning and decision-making in your country?
   
   
2. Is this DIFFERENT when you look at corporations and the private sector versus the public sector - municipal, state and federal governments? If so, how?
   
   
3. What is the situation now in such FIELDS as health, education, waste management, transportation, energy, mining, forestry, etc.?
   
   
4. What TRENDS do you see in each of the above - across your country, private versus public sector, by industry? Does public participation seem to be increasing, staying the same or declining in each?
   
   
5. Are any particular TECHNIQUES e.g. public meetings, open houses, advisory committees etc. becoming more or less popular?
   
   
6. Are there PRESSURES for increased economy and efficiency in public participation?
   
   
7. Are STAKEHOLDERS becoming more important to proponents than the general public?
   
   
8. What is the RELATIONSHIP between public participation and Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation/Round Table processes? e,g. Convergence? Two solitudes? Competition/conflict?
   
   
9. Are more government agencies and engineering/environmental planning firms HIRING THEIR OWN in-house public participation people? How are INDEPENDENT public participation firms doing?
   
   
10. Is there more public participation in POLICY AND PROGRAM development or is it still mostly focussed on projects?
    
    
11. Any other COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, etc. about public participation???
    
    
12. Who would you NOMINATE as a good person to be on a panel at the conference to briefly describe the current status and trends about public participation in your country?
    
    
13. A little BACKGROUND data please:
    a. re public participation, are you a practitioner, a manager, a trainer, an interested observer or other?
    b. How long have you been doing this? _____ years
    c. Which country are you reporting on?

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DESMOND M. CONNOR "Improving the Practice of Public Consultation" 407-5332 Sayward Hill Crescent, Victoria, BC, V8Y 2H8 Voice: 250-658-1323                     Fax: 250-658-8110 connor@connor.bc.ca                     www.connor.bc.ca