Scotland’s communities are a rich source of creativity and talent. Bringing communities together to talk to each other and work on the things that matter to them is a key way of unlocking that resource. In the context of regeneration, communities themselves have an important role to play in influencing and delivering aspects of the process, and it has been recognised that community involvement is likely to result in more sustainable and successful outcomes.
Griesbach & Associates have extensive experience of developing and carrying out surveys, facilitating constructive group discussions, conducting interactive public meetings, and using a wide range of participative consultation methods. We also have a reputation for carrying thorough and high-quality analysis of written consultation responses. Our projects in this area have included:
Dunkeld and Birnam - development of community objectives for the A9 dualling project
(Client: Dunkeld and Birnam A9 Community Group, 2017)
Dawn supported associate, Elizabeth Leighton (lead consultant) to organise and lead a series of community discussions to find out about what was important to people living in the villages of Dunkeld and Birnam and the surrounding area in relation to the A9 dualling project. The output from this project was a clear set of community objectives which set alongside Transport Scotland's objectives for the A9. These were used to inform a co-created design for the new motorway.
A community survey on the Crieff revitalisation scheme
(Client: Crieff & Upper Strathearn Partnership, 2010)
As part of an effort to encourage regeneration of the town centre of Crieff (a small town in rural Perthshire with a population of around 7,000), Griesbach & Associates carried out a survey of a demographically and geographically representative sample of the town’s residents in Autumn 2010. The survey sought residents’ views on a wide range of issues related to social and economic development of the town, parking and transportation and townscape improvement. The questionnaire, which was administered on-line and in paper form, also included four open-ended questions which asked local residents about their aspirations for the town. The findings of this survey were formally launched at the Crieff Hydro Hotel in November 2010 to an audience of over 150 community residents, local business owners and local government representatives. This meeting was also attended by two Scottish Government Ministers.
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Between 2012 - 2017, Griesbach & Associates were part of a Scottish Government Framework Agreement for consultation analysis. During this period, we carried out dozens of consultation analysis projects in almost every policy area. Some of our projects included:
Talking Fracking: A consultation on unconventional oil and gas - Analysis of consultation responses
(Client: Scottish Government, 2012)
This consultation received more than 60,000 responses, making it the second largest consultation response ever received by the Scottish Government. The findings of this consultation led to a permanent ban on fracking in Scotland. Dawn was the lead researcher, working together with associates Jennifer Waterton and Alison Platts.
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Your Scotland, Your Referendum: An analysis of consultation responses
(Client: Scottish Government, 2012)
Dawn was the lead researcher, working together with associates Lucy Robertson (Craigforth), Jennifer Waterton and Anne Birch, on this large-scale consultation analysis. The consultation received more than 26,000 responses. The findings of this consultation informed the arrangements for Scotland's independence referendum, held in September 2014.
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Other projects in this area:
