Communication Strategy
Approach to Consultation
The consultation process for the Essex Estuary Flood Management Strategies allows stakeholders to partake in the decision making process, provides an opportunity for comment at various stages of strategy development and provides a means of exchanging information relating to the strategy area.

Stakeholders are identified during the preparation of a Communication Plan and consultation is undertaken with all interested parties including statutory consultees, organisations with interests in nature conservation, wildfowling, farming, fishing, sailing, tourism and recreation, local authorities and individual stakeholders/landowners, in addition to members of the public.

Communication Plan
Initially a Communication Plan is prepared for each strategy, which establishes a framework for consultation. The plan clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the project team, identifies key consultees with a likely interest in the scheme and establishes a consultation programme to provide a detailed list of future consultation rounds.

A Communication Plan is required to provide an efficient, effective and co-ordinated structure for the exchange of information between all stakeholders. Efficient communication is key to successful and timely completion of the key stages and essential to share information and agree a preferred strategy.

Methods of Communication
Different forms of consultation are appropriate for different stakeholder groups. Communication methods that have been used in the development of recent strategies and that will be adopted in future strategies include project websites, consultation letters, information bulletins, quarterly newsletters, face-to-face meetings and public exhibitions. In addition, a steering group or stakeholder group is formed at the start of a strategy to meet at key stages of the project to comment and, if necessary, provide guidance on the direction of the study.