FOI Request - Public Consultations Surveys and Citizen Panels

Request 101003857119

I am requesting information for the period January 2022 to present (20/09/2025):

1.  A list of all public consultations, resident surveys, or citizens’ panels/assemblies carried out by or on behalf of the council, including the topic and dates.

2.  The total number of responses or participants for each.

3.  Copies of any final reports or summaries produced (direct links acceptable also).

4.  Details of how the findings were used in council decision-making or strategy.

5.  The total spend on consultations, surveys, or panels in this period, including payments to external contractors.

Response 20-10-2025

Following an extensive search, over 100 contracts with a value over £10,0000 that included consultation/consultancy in their title or description were identified. In addition, some individual departments have supplied a list of more than 10 pages with consultation activities. As such, to collate the information requested is estimated to take more than 40 hours of staff time and is therefore exempt under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 – excessive cost

Furthermore, please be advised that even if staff time were not a factor, some of the final reports or summaries produced will contain commercially sensitive information, as such they would still be exempt under Section 33 (1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - commercial sensitivity.