First two rounds of engagement
The objectives of the Partnership's first two stages of public and stakeholder engagement (PSE1 and PSE2) were primarily to build an understanding of the Partnership's work and the overall process amongst the public and stakeholder organisations, and for the Partnership to understand what the key issues were for the public and stakholders.
Further details about PSE1 and PSE2 are provided below.
Public and Stakeholder Engagement – Round 1
The first round of the Partnership's public and stakeholder engagement (PSE1) was held between November 2009 and March 2010.
The main aim of this first round of engagement was to inform people about what was happening and how the Partnership, as their community representatives, were responding to the Government.
The Partnership sought the broad reaction of residents and organisations throughout and beyond West Cumbria.
The main issues that were raised are set out in the PSE1 Report alongside the Partnership's responses.
The Partnership made a number of changes as a result of the input it received from members of the public and stakeholders. The main changes were to:
- Add specific tasks on security and ethics to its Work Programme.
- Double the investment in communication with residents.
- Commission independent research to assess the potential impact on tourism and investment in the area if a facility were to go ahead.
- Invite alternative views on contentious issues such as: ethics, research and development, what waste should go into a repository, and geology.
How did the Partnership engage with the public in Round 1?
Various strands of activity were held: 
- Newsletter/leaflet to West Cumbrian households.
- Neighbourhood Forum meetings, November 2009 to March 2010.
- Stakeholder Organisations Workshop, December 2009.
- Residents' Panel meeting, February 2010.
- Baseline Public Awareness Tracking Survey.
- Citizens' Panel Survey, conducted in November 2009 (see pages 31-34 of the report).
- And later... the Whitehaven Festival stand and exhibition (26th & 27th June 2010).
Public and Stakeholder Engagement - Round 2
The Partnership's second round of public and stakeholder engagement (PSE2) was held between November 2010 and February 2011.
A key priority in PSE2 was to significantly raise awareness of the issues involved in the MRWS process and to seek people's views on three key issues:
- How to use public views to decide whether to proceed.
- Impacts and community benefits.
- Community involvement in a potential siting process.
The outcomes of PSE2 and the resulting recommendations are set out in the PSE2 Report. Reports of the individual activities can be downloaded from the links below.
How did the Partnership engage with the public in Round 2?
The Partnership carried out a range of communications and engagement activity including:
- An interactive ‘Discussion Pack’, with a DVD and information booklet. Over 1,000 packs were requested and distributed across Cumbria, including to schools, parishes, and community groups. The Partnership received responses from more than 75 discussion groups. There is a short video featuring one of the discussion groups below.
- 10 community ‘drop-in’ events were held at locations across Cumbria in November and December 2010 with nearly 500 people participating. 248 questionnaires were completed and 166 further written comments were received.
- A Partnership exhibition stand at Dunmail Park, Workington in November 2010, which was visited by over 200 people.
- Two newsletters sent to 79,000 households in November 2010 and January 2011,
as well as being made available in places such as libraries and leisure centres.
- An update to all Cumbrian households in the County Council magazine, Your Cumbria.
- A Residents’ Panel event in January 2011 where participants submitted views on issues such as community benefits if there was a decision to take part in the siting process.
- A Stakeholder Organisations Workshop in January 2011.
- Large advertorials in all the local newspapers.
- Regular press releases which helped to ensure there was a substantial increase in media activity, with over 40 pieces of coverage about the MRWS process in Cumbria during November and early December. This included items on Border TV, Radio Cumbria and the BBC Politics Show in the North East and Cumbria.
“I thought the session was really useful – it gave me and my classmates the chance to voice an opinion.”
Joseph Fryer, who took part in one of the first discussion pack sessions at St Benedict’s School, Whitehaven
“The youngsters had a pretty wide range of views to express and a good few were exercised by the issues and wanted to take part in the future.” Mike Priestley, Connexions Cumbria, who ran the St Benedict’s School session.