Public participation in decision-making
As a result of falling engagement in formal politics the government is trying to increase public participation in decision making. New policies and institutions have been created to promote active citizenship and power is being transferred to local government to increase decision making at a local level. The Local Government Act 2007 aims to enable greater involvement of ‘real’ citizens in decision making at a local level, rather than involvement of community groups or the ‘usual suspects’. One response to this is the increasing use of user democracy, where citizens are engaged as consumers through mechanisms such as satisfaction surveys and network democracy (e.g. partnerships - see driver on partnership working and governance).
What are the implications?
- Raised expectations of greater participation and citizen engagement.
- The emergence of a ‘participation industry’ in which VCOs can play an important role.
- Difficulties in widening the demand for participation beyond than those often referred to as the ‘usual suspects’.
- Removing barriers to participation and increasing the ways in which individuals can be supported and given the skills and confidence to participate will depend on resources, commitment and political will over time.
- Initiatives may face problems if they fail to understand ultimately what makes people tick – why, when and how they want to participate.
- Tensions around the accountability and legitimacy of different groups to represent different interests and make decisions.
- VCOs need to be clear about the extent to which they have involved their users and members in shaping their views.
- An increased need for community leaders who can reconcile the diversity of individual and group expectations and needs across the partnerships and control and manage the direction.
- Engagement may shift away from ‘the town hall’ towards more informal spaces of community life such as at the school gates, supermarkets or places of worship.
- These methods of engagement could potentially bypass VCOs.
- The role of VCOs, as community representatives and/or in addressing the barriers (such as time, skills and confidence) that remain for individuals and communities wishing to be involved, may not be fully recognised.
Moving forward
The trend towards a more participative and consultative democracy is opening up new governance spaces and ‘new conversations’.
- Does your organisation have a role to play in helping individuals to understand how they can make their voice heard, and in building their confidence and skills? Bear in mind, this might not necessarily be through your organisation.
- Can you facilitate a dialogue (more than simply a conversation) between your users and policy makers?
It may be time to review and strengthen your internal governance structures or to attempt to involve a more diverse range of people, perhaps through working in partnership with other VCOs.
Are you able to demonstrate to local elected representatives the many ways in which you consult and involve your users?
Want to know more?
People & Participation: How to put citizens at the heart of decision making
Published by: Involve, a new organisation based around public participation.
Date: 2005
Format: PDF
What is it? A book focused on the practical issues of making public participation work.
How useful is it? This book is an exploration of the issues facing participatory practice in England today, outlining the challenges and opportunities of introducing participatory practice into local institutions and organisations. The guide provides practical detail, drawing on the experiences of over a hundred practitioners who have used new methods to involve the public in issues ranging from local planning to nanotechnology
Other comments:
Civil renewal and active citizenship: a guide to the debate
Published by: NCVO
Date: 2005
Format: Web
What is it? A guide to the debate on civil renewal and active citizenship.
How useful is it? The report is split into four main sections. The first is an overview of the concepts underpinning the active citizenship debate. The second reviews the key policies of the Labour Government, namely the link between renewed citizenship and the delivery of public services. The third section looks at the VCS perspective and how it has been impacted by the development of active citizenship and civic renewal. These views have been gathered from research carried out in 2004. The final section looks at changes that could be both at a Governmental and VCS level to further mutual aims for civic renewal.
Other comments:
Community participation: Who benefits?
Published by: Joseph Rowntree Foundation – a social policy research and development charity.
Date: 2006
Format: Web
What is it? A report evaluating Government policies to involve more local people in decision making processes at a local level.
How useful is it? The report, through a review of literature and original research in two deprived areas, seeks to identify whether policies to promote community participation in governance build social capital. The research found that contrary to the case put forward by the Government, few people tend to be involved in governance, and those that are tend to be a small core group of the same people. The report then goes on to look at how wider community participation could be fostered and makes recommendations for both policy and practice.
Other comments:
Individual pathways in participation
Published by: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) – a UK research agency addressing economic and social concerns.
Date: 2007
Format: PDF
What is it? A booklet produced as part of the ESRC and NCVO seminar series, examining whether participation in community and voluntary work can spur people to participate in civic and public service activity.
How useful is it? The booklet looks at peoples’ individual pathways to and from participation in community activities. It then goes on to investigate whether being involved in these activities can result in individuals taking part in decision making structures and processes, namely in state institutions and public services. The research shows that people feel increasingly disconnected from the public realm despite the government’s focus on increased empowerment. The booklet then goes on to identify ways forward.
Other comments:
Recent discussion
How will this affect your organisation? Have you considered it during your strategic planning? Can you share any interesting relevant links?Join the discussion!
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Peter
I’m concerned that the funding and regulatory environment and the perception of risk/liability means members of the public are less likely to want to take independent action and set up and join community activities. What can we do?
Dhara
This is not in reply to Peter (sorry!) but just a quick post to alert people to the people and participation website, sponsored by the DCLG, MoJ and the Sustainable Development Commission. I haven’t had a chance to look at it in any depth but its an interesting site that builds on the excellent Involve publication of the same name. The site aims to be a central portal for information and inspiration about participation to practitioners across the world.
Véronique
Third Sector ForesightFor those interested in participation and governance, you might like to have a look at the latest publication of The Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability which summarises the contents of an international learning event on engaging citizens in local governance. The event brought together 44 people (24 from the UK and 20 from 14 other
countries)who looked at the challenges local governments face in responding to growing demands for citizen engagement and more participatory forms of governance. Chapter 5 is particularly interesting because it considers the implications for different actors (government, appointed officials, locally elected representatives, communities and civil society and donors).
Véronique
Third Sector ForesightNCVO and the ESRC NGPA programme is organising an event similar to the one I was talking about in my last post on public participation in decision-making.
The event is on 9 October. It’s a lunchtime seminar at NCVO focusing on changing governance and how voluntary and community organisations and other civil society organisations in the UK and several aborad are experiencing the shift from government to governance.
The speakers are:For more information and to book a place