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Building inclusive housing strategies
Lessons for local authorities from Liverpool, Hackney and Sheffield
INNOVATION & IMPROVEMENT
Maggie Rafalowicz
Director, Campbell Tickell
Paul Bragman
Associate, Campbell Tickell
Issue 82 | February 2026
Over the past few years, Campbell Tickell has worked closely with local authorities across England to develop housing strategies that genuinely reflect the voices of residents. Our approach goes beyond traditional consultation methods, and seeks to focus on inclusion, trust, and meaningful engagement.
Here, we discuss how to go beyond tick-box consultations and truly ensure inclusive engagement when shaping housing strategies for local authorities.
Why is resident voice so important?
Statutory consultations often fail to capture the perspectives of underrepresented groups. Barriers such as language, time constraints, and complex surveys mean many voices are left out yet these voices are critical to shaping strategies that impact communities for years to come.
To ensure we capture resident voice, we follow a set of principles when carrying out resident consultation. We aim to:
- Widen participation: Actively include groups that are usually excluded, such as young people and minoritised communities.
- Use local community assets: Work with existing networks and trusted community figures rather than parachuting in external professionals.
- Achieve fair recognition: Compensate participants through payment or vouchers without affecting their benefits.
- Have transparency: Ensure communities know how their input will be used and ensure they receive feedback on outcomes.
“We want to link into existing assets, networks, and organisations – not necessarily come in trying to do something new and fresh.”
“A lot of consultations are very extractive: they take information and leave. We were keen to make sure people knew where their views were going and how they will be used.”
Paul Bragman
“A lot of consultations are very extractive: they take information and leave. We were keen to make sure people knew where their views were going and how they will be used.”
Paul Bragman
What does community engagement for housing strategies look like in action?
There are a few examples of community engagement from our recent work:
1. Hackney
We recruited and trained young people as researchers and facilitators, enabling them to engage peers effectively. Their input shaped survey design and boosted under-25 participation, influencing the final housing strategy.
2. Liverpool
Without a clear youth network, we partnered with community development practitioners and council-run forums like the Young People’s Advisory Group. We also trained frontline staff to carry out consultations, though resource constraints highlighted the need for ongoing support.
3. Sheffield
Engagement took place in community spaces such as sports centres, community hubs, women’s centres, and cafés, where conversations felt natural and inclusive. This approach provided rich insights beyond what surveys alone could capture.
What are the key lessons?
The four key lessons learned from these projects are:
- Flexibility is essential: Tailor methods to local contexts, from training researchers to supporting council staff.
- Focus groups add depth: Surveys provide breadth, but conversations reveal lived experiences and priorities.
- Continuous communication matters: Residents want to see how their input shapes decisions, not just a one-off interaction. “Communities want ongoing communication. Even if what’s happening isn’t what they want, they want to know their voice has been taken seriously.”
- Councils must commit: Engagement should be ongoing, not a tick-box exercise. Building trust requires sustained effort.
Using these principles can help increase the diversity in responses and surface critical issues, such as young people’s concerns about housing affordability and quality. It can also reinforce the importance of councils maintaining relationships and communicating progress.
What advice would we give to councils?
For councils the challenge is clear: move beyond consultation as a compliance exercise and embrace it as a foundation for continuous dialogue. Doing so builds trust, strengthens approaches and ensures housing strategies truly reflect the realities of all residents
“It’s not about big resources; it’s about communication and the tone you set.”
Further resources:
- Listen to: Local housing strategies: the what, the why and the how
- Learn more about: Campbell Tickell’s work with local authorities
