Template: Report to the public on priorities and next steps
The following is an outline of the sections that could be included in the report to the public on the outcomes of the data collection and public outreach activities, along with the initial next steps.
City name Date |
Overview of the process: What you did, why, and when Provide a summary of the survey process. How many people were reached, by what method and when? How many surveys did you receive? Consider including a photo of the outreach process – this is further “evidence” that you did, in fact, speak to real people in the community. Results: Number of people who responded, with a graphic or image of the results Finally, display the results of the process – a pie chart is a simple way to do this, especially if you are simply ranking issues by vote count. Quotes from participants (if any; check data regs) To provide more detail and color to the chart, add quotes from the public (if you have them). These can be statements from the survey responses, quotes collected during interviews and focus groups, or simply messages you already receive during the regular course of your work. In the examples above, names are included, but you may consider making them anonymous. Ensure compliance with data protection regulations, and consult your data governance framework or laws, for example, “Resident Neighborhood A.” |
Next steps: With reference to the results, you should explain how the results will be used and next steps, including plans for dialogue. This is where you can present the work done to date on these issues. It is likely that the survey is not the first indication that the city has a problem with roads, schools, etc. You can say, “Roads are also our priority, and so far, we have done . . .” If additional work is planned, explain what. As you may notice in these example reports, it is worthwhile to focus on two or three of the top issues. In the Slovakia example, the team chose to focus on achievements in the top five issues – this led to a large amount of text. However, their goal was also to report on achievements over the last year, separate from feedback collected during the canvassing effort. In the Moldova example, the councilor only refers to two issues but can do so in greater depth. Both reports also connect these issues to municipal processes – they explain how planning and evaluation (such as of roads and sewer systems) is being done, they describe the sources of funding and total budget amounts that are being allocated to address certain issues, and they describe procurement processes (issuing tenders and requests for proposals) for contractors to implement these projects. In short, they explain how the municipal government is addressing these priorities. |
Call to action: Invite members of the community to get involved, and include one or two specific ways for them to do so (e.g., attend a dialogue activity). Now that you have reported back on findings, listed priorities and provided a brief overview of your actions to date and plans, you should reopen the door to public feedback. How can the public get in touch with you? How can they stay informed of progress? Some issues are clearer than others – if people do not have clean drinking water, the city must mobilize its resources to provide this service. In short, it becomes an engineering problem – the solution may be clear but still difficult to achieve. The official’s role in this process is to find the resources to fund the projects, consult with the public on the plan, and hold contractors and service providers accountable to meet their deadlines and obligations. However, some issues are less clear. If people responded that their issue has to do with the environment and green space, follow-up may be needed to understand what problems exist in this issue area and how residents want them to be addressed. Consider implementing a codesign process with the public to understand these issues and design solutions with public input (Step 7). If you intend to do this, say so and invite participation here. |
Template: Report to the public on outcomes and progress
The following is a template for a two-page (one double-sided sheet) handout that reports on priorities and progress made.
OUR CITY | Month, Year | ||||||||
OUR PRIORITIES ISSUE ONE, ISSUE TWO, and ISSUE THREE Back in Month, Year, we asked you about your priorities, which were
We shared those findings with you back in Month, Year and since then developed an action plan and have been working to resolve them. Here is the progress we have made so far: | Picture of outreach event or local project underway | ||||||||
ISSUE ONE | |||||||||
To address Issue One, we have 1. Identified funding for . . . 2. Hired a contractor to . . . 3. Completed an inventory of . . . Our next steps will be
| Picture showing before and after the project, for example | ||||||||
--------------- PAGE BREAK ----------- | |||||||||
ISSUE TWO The issue is [more detail] . . . We have not addressed this issue yet but are 50% toward our funding goal . . . You can help by . . . | Picture showing the issue to address | ||||||||
ISSUE THREE The issue is [more detail] . . . We have done X, Y and Z actions. In Month, Year, we will do A and B actions. | Picture showing the issue to address | ||||||||
[CALL TO ACTION] Thank you for your attention! Sincerely, Mayor [Name] Phone: Email: Address: | Please join us on [social media] platform to follow updates or discussion here: [QR code or link] | ||||||||
[Optional: Include removable comment form]
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