Knowing what other people think is a critical part of democracy.  Knowing about a wide range of consultations can help local groups make the case for what they want.

Today sees the launch of www.birminghambeheard.org.uk. It’s a website which allows you to explore the various public consultations that have taken place or are happening in the city.

For the first time, information about what consultations are being planned and have been undertaken, what people have said and what impact their views have had on decision-making in the city will be easily accessible by the public all in one place, with the launch of the Birmingham Be Heard consultation database, www.birminghambeheard.org.uk on Tuesday 27th October. <
Be Heard is a web-based database developed for Be Birmingham, the city’s local strategic partnership, by Birmingham City Council’s corporate policy and performance team. It currently contains over 170 consultations undertaken by Birmingham City Council and other partner organisations and this number is growing all the time.

Here’s a short video which explains the basics of how to use it (oh and here’s the rss feed for those who want to use rss to keep up to date with new consultations as they happen):