We want to hear what you think about our city, the Toon - what you’re proud of, ambitions for the future. Your input will help us shape future priorities for Newcastle, and the services we deliver for residents.
What this is about
This isn’t a survey about council services, or just the council. We know what you think about potholes, waste collection, social care. This is going to inform how we deliver and improve those services. if needed, you can see a video explaining in British Sign Language interpretation, below.
How do I get involved?
The easiest way to get involved is to take part in the conversation. There is an online form where you will be asked to answer five simple questions. It should take you no time at all - link below! It will be open for two months, beginning on 25 January and concluding on 20 March 2026.
As well as the online questionnaire, we will be holding focus groups across the city and will have an independent engagement team visiting every corner of our city to speak to people out and about in our communities.
We will advertise opportunities to take part and would ask for your help in spreading the word far and wide.
This isn’t a survey about council services, or just the council. We know what you think about potholes, waste collection, social care. This is going to inform how we deliver and improve those services. if needed, you can see a video explaining in British Sign Language interpretation, below.
How do I get involved?
The easiest way to get involved is to take part in the conversation. There is an online form where you will be asked to answer five simple questions. It should take you no time at all - link below! It will be open for two months, beginning on 25 January and concluding on 20 March 2026.
As well as the online questionnaire, we will be holding focus groups across the city and will have an independent engagement team visiting every corner of our city to speak to people out and about in our communities.
We will advertise opportunities to take part and would ask for your help in spreading the word far and wide.
Take part in the Big Conversation survey
If you have questions or need this information in another format, like large print, email us at: bigconversation@newcastle.gov.uk or call: 0191 211 6600.
You can get an Easy Read version here, which you can complete online and email to us, or print off, fill it, and post to: FREEPOST Letstalk.
Easy Read link: Newcastle Big Conversation Easy Read
Here's a bit more about it...
Will the council really listen to me?
Yes! We are investing time and resources to make this our biggest engagement exercise in years to hear from as many people as possible to help shape future priorities. The people who live, work and visit this city must be at the heart of every decision we make. So it is only right that we make sure we are speaking to you regularly to understand your priorities.
We care deeply about the city and want to build the best possible Newcastle. The more voices that take part in this conversation, the more ideas we generate to make a better future.
Have you not asked us this before?
Yes! We are talking to you all the time. We speak to residents every single day because the council has so many touch points in people’s lives, whether that be housing, social care, transport, waste collection or our city’s parks.
We have engaged thousands of you in big engagement exercises in the last year alone and we’ll analyse those findings again alongside the feedback we receive as part of Newcastle’s Big Conversation to help us build a full picture of what people think.
The reality is we are living in a city, country and world that is moving at breakneck speed and we know that people's priorities can change.
We will be transparent on the findings and continue to regularly engage you to ensure you are always at the heart of what we do.
Are you interested in taking part in a focus group?
We are running an online survey and fieldwork out in the community, but also targeted focus groups where we go beyond the survey questions and dig a bit deeper into our ambitions for Newcastle.
People passionate about our city can take part in focus groups in mid-March and the feedback from these groups will be a valuable contribution to the final report.
If you, or a community group or voluntary organisation you represent, want to be involved then please complete the following form: Take part in a Big Conversation focus group
What happens next
We will commit to being transparent on the findings and regularly undertaking engagement to ensure you are always at the heart of what we do. We will publish the findings from the Big Conversation on our website: Newcastle City Council, and here on Let's talk Newcastle Online.
