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Letters have been sent to local residents personally inviting them to join Woking’s new Residents’ Panel, created to allow people living in Woking to help shape the future of the borough – are you one of the lucky ones?
To ensure that the Panel accurately represents the demographics of the entire population of Woking, a direct invitation to participate has been posted to 10,000 residents, chosen at random, ensuring that the selected addresses are proportionately representative of each ward.
Along with the invitation to participate, a satisfaction survey on a selection of key services provided by the Council has been included.
Cllr Ayesha Azad, Leader of Woking Borough Council, said: “The way the Council communicates with its residents is changing. Instead of just consulting when there are big projects, I want the Council to be having a continuous conversation with the people it serves.
“So I strongly encourage anyone who receives an invitation to the Residents’ Panel to get involved. It is a great new way to have a say on how the Council runs its services, improves the local area and tackles issues in your community.
“Participating does not have to be time-consuming, so I hope that even those with hectic lives will consider becoming a panellist. Results will be fed directly back to decision makers within the Council, so a small amount of input could lead to big changes in what we deliver, and how.
“The Panel isn’t just open to those who receive an invitation. Anyone is welcome to apply and I hope that plenty of people will take the opportunity to do so.”
The panel is open to all residents of Woking aged 18 and over. Panel members are not required to have any prior knowledge or expertise to join. Applicants will be asked to complete a profiling questionnaire, stating key demographics such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and where they live. This will ensure that the panel is representative of local communities.
For more information or to apply to become a member of the Panel, please call 01483 755 855 or email residentspanel@woking.gov.uk