WE ASKED YOU
"IS YOUR VOICE BEING HEARD?"
AND 4 OUT OF 5 SAID "NO!"

In our recent survey: "The Role of Consumer Consultation in the 21st Century", we particularly asked if you felt your voice was being heard. 81% said NO at European, 78% said NO at National and 73% said NO at Local Government level! The survey asked other questions, like: "Are you satisfied with customer relations?" 3 out of 4 of you came back with a resounding NO in Local & National Government and NO in Business & Industry.

When asked how standards of service might be improved, "More consumer consultation" was a common plea. Finally we asked you to write down your "Burning Issues" and received a strong response for all aspects of transport, both redress and better informed service from Industry, and better food safety. There is no doubt that those active in consumer affairs believe that the role of consumer consultation is crucial to the future.

What is NfCG doing about it?

NfCG Executive Committee decided that something had to be done and now a campaign is under way, led by Past NfCG Chairman, Sue Payne, to study the way in which consumers are recruited to consultation bodies, both in Government and in Industry. When this research is complete, NfCG, as the only independent / consumer organisation working from "Grass Roots to Government & Business" will campaign on three fronts:

• To encourage Government and Industry to recruit more "Grass Root" consumers to Boards and Councils, to formalise recruitment methods and widely advertise all posts.
• We will train our members to be better at being representatives when on such bodies.
• We will develop and introduce communications systems that enable our representatives to have rapid access to both our specialist subject networks and to a wide and diverse number of our "Grass Roots" consumer members.

NfCG has had very many excellent consumer representatives on a wide range of Panels and Councils for the whole of its 36 years in existence. Now we perceive the need to strengthen their role, to provide more skilled consumers as the need for consultation becomes acknowledged more widely and to utilise the very latest technology to provide a communications system for their use.

This work will begin with a series of polls and follow-up surveys, the first of which is enclosed in this issue. Then a series of meetings will take place with Government and Industry. Finally, you will be able to see the results of our Millennium project on display at the York Conference in September. (See pages 6&7)

Roy Bisson

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