MRG and Citizen's Panels
'Involving local communities has never been more important for Local Government' Local Government Information Unit (LGIU).
Citizens Panels are representative samples of local residents (between 750 and 2,500), and are used by Local Authorities (and associated agencies) to consult the local population about the issues affecting them.
This involves both surveys and small-scale qualitative research, and has many advantages over ad hoc research. As members have signed up to the Panel time and money is saved in the long term, response rates are generally high, detailed demographic data is held about respondents, trend and benchmarking data can be built up over time, and future involvement in community partnerships may be secured.
The Market Research Group (MRG) has recruited, maintained and managed several such Panels for Local Authorities. We believe that our expertise has added value to the research process and results for our clients, and provides the advantage of an objective position to both our clients and Panel members (MRG is a data controller). These Panels have been invaluable as a tool for involving the local community in decision-making, and in many cases have been used for the Best Value reviews.
The Panel process generally involves the following stages:
· Panel recruitment (preferably a random sampling technique using PAF).
· Panel selection (selecting residents representative of population).
· Regular surveys and focus groups are held on issues of interest.
· The results and actions are fed back to respondents via newsletters.
· Panel is maintained and refreshed to avoid stagnation.
If you would like further information about our Citizens Panel research please contact Sarah Hambidge Local Government Research Manager Tel: 01202 963873.