Name of Researcher(s): Adam Keppel-Green

You have been invited to take part in a research study. This information sheet explains why the research is being undertaken and what it involves so that you can understand if you wish to participate. If there is anything which is unclear or you have any questions or more information please ask.

This study is part of completing a BA award in Community Governance with De Montfort University. The research is seeking to understand in more detail the impact that local government reorganisation (specifically the creation of a unitary council) has on parish and town councils and what factors affect the scale of this impact. The research aims to provide guidance for councils going through reorganisation in their areas.

What does the study / participation involve?

You are invited to participate in a short questionnaire which should take no longer than 20 minutes.

Your participation is entirely voluntary, this means you can withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason.

This survey can be completed anonymously. All data will be anonymised but may be referenced to by locality e.g. “a large town council in Cheshire” or “a parish councillor from a rural village in Gloucestershire”. Great care will be taken to ensure this does not impact anonymity. Where a survey is completed anonymously it will not be possible to remove your response if you later decide to withdraw.

The data you provide will be used for the purposes of completing the study. The results of this research will form part of my dissertation, which in time will be published on the SLCC website. I am also happy to share the results with anyone who requests them, and you can do this as part of the survey.

Data Protection and Sharing

All information which is collected about you during the course of the research will be kept on a password protected database and is strictly confidential. You will be assigned an ID code which will be used instead of your name. Any identifiable information you may give will be removed and anonymised.

DMU policy is that raw data is kept for 5 years after a study has been completed. Data may also be reviewed by my supervisor and members of the faculty human research ethics committee may require access to check that the study has been conducted in accordance with the approval given.

As you are sharing your details with DMU, we want you to know how we use your personal data and what your rights are.  You can find this information at http://www.dmu.ac.uk/policies/data-protection/data-protection.aspx

If you have any concerns about this research, for any reason and at any time, you may contact my supervisor Angie Hurren. Her contact details are provided at the end of this information sheet

Ethics

This study has been reviewed and approved by De Montfort University, Faculty of Business and Law Research Ethics Committee

Further Information

If you have any questions with respect to this study please contact me at adam@keppel-green.co.uk

Unpublished form