Talkabout is York's citizens' panel. It is one of the ways people can influence what happens in York, and aims to give a representation of York’s residents' views.
We ask that panel members give 5 to 10 minutes twice a year to complete our main resident satisfaction questionnaires, and take part in other departmental and partner consultations throughout the year.
We're currently updating our database, working to identify gaps and recruit new members in order to create a balanced panel that represents York’s profile.
How the Talkabout panel works
Panellists are asked to take part in online resident satisfaction surveys twice a year. Printed versions will be supplied on request along with a postage-paid (Freepost) envelope.
Surveys ask for views on topics including life in York, your local area, problems you face as well as your opinions on different services delivered by the council.
The panel can be invited by other council departments to take part in consultations on other aspects of council services and policy.
Results of Talkabout surveys are used by councillors and council officers to influence their decisions. Data will also be published within ward profiles and on York Open Data.
You will normally remain on the panel for up to 3 years and may choose to leave at any time. As a panel member you can decide whether or not to take part in any opportunity we offer you.
Panel selection
All residents are invited to apply to join Talkabout by completing an online form or requesting a paper copy from the Business Intelligence Hub.
When recruiting panel members, we ask for personal data to ensure that the panel is representative of the community as a whole. We also use this information to get better insight into different communities’ views. You can see a recent panel profile on York Open Data.
Residents are then randomly selected from this pool to join the panel. This panel aims to be representative of York’s profile, for example covering different age groups and localities.
Residents from groups that are already well represented in the panel will be held on a waiting list for up to 12 months.
The eligible age has been lowered to 13 years old, in line with ICO guidelines on the age at which children can give consent for processing of their personal data.
To qualify you must:
- Be at least 13 years old
- Live in the City of York Council area
How the information you give will be recorded and stored
The General Data Protection Regulation came into effect on 25 May 2018. This affects how we collect, store and use personal data.
Read our Data Protection Policy Statement.
Read our privacy notice to find out how we protect your personal data.