This includes a range of methodologies – quantitative surveys (representative sample surveys or otherwise), focus groups, deliberative research, citizens juries and referenda.

In practice, because of the way the question is framed, the effect of nearly all of them (whatever the intent) is to seek/obtain engagement and endorsement of the decision members want to take (or at least of one of their preferred options).

BTW, on the whole, these exercises tend to show people to be less inclined to ‘low tax, low spend’ than cynics would have you believe.

If anyone’s interested, there’s some evidence in research I did many moons ago with Gerry Stoker and Nick Gilby. The summary is online: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/145617.pdf

What consultation is there that achieves more? I think that Participatory budgeting (PB) stands apart from these other approaches, in the way it enables a very wide range of possible outcomes – as well as the impact from giving real financial responsibility to real people and communities (as opposed to the ‘politicians and managers’ who you perceive have framed the Barnet consultation).

But I’ll let a real expert post something about PB …