On Thursday
17th July Hazel Blears delivered a keynote speech at the Empowerment
in Action conference in central London, the pretext being the recently released
local government White Paper on community empowerment. She presented a vision
of communities made stronger by their members engaging fully in participative
democracy underpinned by stronger elected leadership. This empowerment is to
precipitate the entire public service, an extension of Foundation Trust and
expert patients in the NHS that will see local authorities become beacons and
promoters of democratic involvement and Police to follow the Foundation Trust
model.
What can we
expect to see as a result? The tried and tested mantra is run out, ‘More local,
Less Whitehall’. The reality is that local authorities will be dipping their
toes into newer models of engagement with their communities, a more hands on
role in local affairs for local people. Participatory budgeting and
deliberative consultation? Local
authorities should take note; Blears ambition is to see asset transfers to
community groups up and young people to be spending 25 percent of youth
participation budgets through young mayors and youth councils within five years.
We have successfully developed young mayor structures for clients in Lewisham
and Newham that are already acknowledged leaders in this field. In addition we
have designed and facilitated a number of deliberative consultation events
throughout the country. The White Paper supports our innovations in these
areas, it will be interesting to see if its impact is to mainstream such
techniques.
nice article
--thanks--
Posted by: florist | 07 November 2009 at 03:56 PM