This service is managed by Active Communities
Orkney Opinions
Orkney Opinions is our public consultation panel. It is made up of Orkney residents who are regularly invited to share their views on specific Council services or plans. It is one of several ways we consult with the public and is designed to complement - not replace - larger-scale public consultation exercises.
How it works
Panel members receive between four and six surveys each year by email or post - whichever they prefer. You don't have to respond to every survey, but the more responses we receive the better informed we are. Surveys on specific topics are anonymous and cannot be traced back to you individually.
The team who put forward the survey questions will analyse the feedback and use it to inform reports to senior managers and elected members. Sometimes feedback broadly supports a proposed course of action, and sometimes it doesn't - either way, it is taken into account in decision-making and referenced in committee reports.
Who is on the panel?
Members are selected by randomly picking names from the Open Electoral Register - for example, every 20th name. We aim for the panel to reflect the demographic balance of Orkney's population as a whole. If a particular group is under-represented, such as isles residents or young people, we send out extra targeted invitations. Membership of Orkney Opinions is by invitation only, to avoid inadvertently skewing the demographic balance of the group.
Leaving the panel
If you are a current member and wish to leave, simply write or email us with your name and address and we will remove you from the group and securely destroy your demographic information.