Frequently asked questions about the Residents' e-Panel
What is the West Sussex Residents’
e-Panel?
The West Sussex Residents’ e-Panel is a community of
people who have volunteered to be consulted regularly about
important local issues.
Anyone who lives in West Sussex can become a member of the
Residents' e-Panel. Instructions on joining can be found on the
'Join
here' page on the West Sussex County Council website.
To join you will need to complete a registration
questionnaire providing us with your email address and some
essential details which will help us to ensure the e-Panel is as
representative of the population of West Sussex as possible. Once
you have completed this survey you will automatically become a
member of the e-Panel. We'll then send you an email with your
username and password and a link to the members’ area where you log
on to access any current consultations and surveys.
The Residents’ e-Panel is an online panel so all contact will be
made from the Have Your Say team via email. You will receive
emails about consultations and surveys as they become
available.
If you need to update your personal details, email any
changes to haveyoursay@westsussex.gov.uk. Please
ensure you notify us of any changes to your email address.
Your views and opinions will help councillors and staff to make
informed decisions based on what you think and say. This means what
you say really counts.
The e-Panel is managed and maintained by the Have Your Say team
here at West Sussex County Council. It uses a software system
supplied by BMG Systems Limited.
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Who is BMG Systems Limited?
BMG
Systems Limited is an external software company that
provides online tools for consultation and engagement for local and
central government. BMG Systems is part of the Bostock
Marketing Group.
Registered office:
BMG Research
Holt Court
Heneage Street West
Aston Science Park
Birmingham
B7 4AX
What will you do with my
personal details?
Any information you provide is held on a secure database by the
service provider (BMG Systems Limited) and is treated as strictly
confidential in accordance with the Data Protection Act
(1998). Data Protection Officers for Bostock Marketing Group
are Zishan Sajan and Paul Everitt. They can be contacted on:
0121 333 6006.
Personal details of all members of the Residents’ e-Panel will
remain strictly confidential in accordance with the Data Protection
Act (1998). The personal details of e-Panel members are not
accessible to any third party, or anyone in West Sussex County
Council, except the administration team for Have Your Say. All data
obtained from e-Panel members will be anonymised in any reports or
findings that are published. Please read the Disclaimer and
Privacy statement found at the bottom of all West Sussex County
Council web pages for further information.
Why have a Residents’ e-Panel?
The Residents’ e-Panel provides a way of listening to different
types of people from all over West Sussex and our aim is to put our
residents at the heart of everything we do. By listening to your
views we are able to inform decision making and therefore the
development of Council services. We want to make sure that
what we provide is what you need, want and expect from your local
authorities.
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What is the West Sussex Youth e-Panel?
If you are aged under 25 and live in West Sussex then you will
automatically become a member of the Youth e-Panel when you join
the West Sussex Residents’ e-Panel. As a member of the Youth
e-Panel you will be sent additional surveys to the main Residents’
e-Panel on youth related issues and topics.
The Youth e-Panel can help young people to:
- understand why having a voice is important;
- use their voice effectively; and
- understand the mechanisms and processes of influencing policy
and change.
How do you consult?
There are many different methods for consultation. Our
primary way is online as this provides a quick and efficient way
for us to consult with a wide range of people. However depending on
who we need to hear from and what we are trying to find out, we may
use focus groups, interviews, workshops and paper surveys. Find
out more details about
our approach to consultations.
The Residents’ e-Panel is consulted on via online surveys; if
you do not have internet access or have problems accessing a survey
online then please either email haveyoursay@westsussex.gov.uk
or phone the contact centre at West Sussex County Council on 01243
777100.
What do you consult about?
Our surveys and consultations relate to local issues and services
as well as issues facing the county. Your local district or
borough council may also use the Residents’ e-Panel to consult with
on some of their work when appropriate.
What time commitments are expected of me?
We expect to send you approximately 2 surveys a month. This
may vary depending on the time of year and whether there are any
additional important things we want your views on. On average
a questionnaire will take 10 minutes to complete. However, you
are not required to take part in all surveys and are free to select
only the subjects you have an interest in and you want to give your
views on.
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How can I be removed from the Residents’ e-Panel?
If you decide you no longer want to be a member of the Residents’
e-Panel, then all you have to do is send an email to
haveyoursay@westsussex.gov.uk
with the subject ‘Remove me’. We will then remove all your
details from our system and you will receive an email back to
inform you when this has been completed.
How will I find out what consultations are going on for me to take
part in?
When you are a member of the Residents’ e-Panel, we will contact
you by email about surveys and consultations that you may be
interested in, giving instructions on how to take part. If the
consultation is a public survey we will send you an email
containing the direct link to the survey.
We also widely publicise consultations in a variety of ways,
through the local press, leaflets in local libraries, and on our
website. You can also look at our
consultation pages to see if there are any consultations coming
up that you would like to participate in.
How do I get the results of consultations?
As a member of the Residents’ e-Panel you will be sent online links
to results and reports of consultation findings. A newsletter
for e-Panel members is also published twice a year, giving you all
the latest news, results of consultations and how we have responded
to your views. There is also a page on our website with the latest
news of the outcomes of public consultation results
‘You said, we did’.
Where can I go to find out more information or ask other
questions?
If, at any point, you have any queries or want more information
about the Residents' e-Panel please contact
haveyoursay@westsussex.gov.uk.
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