Citizen engagement - now there's a phrase to make your heart sink. On the other hand, it is all part of a very noticeable government trend in what is being called civil renewal...
"by enabling communities to help shape decisions on policies and services, we will support civil renewal and strengthen the legitimacy of the institutions of government."
A government review in 2003 concluded that its
"report recognised that key objectives can only be achieved if we fully involve citizens and communities, and build up their skills, abilities, and confidence to take effective action and leading roles in their communities. Development and training within the public services will also be needed so that they are better equipped to engage with their communities."
What's this got to do with Bishopthorpe? Well, City of York Council (and its new Neighbourhood Pride Unit) will have read and debated the recent publication by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of its Citizen Engagement and Public Services: Why Neighbourhoods Matter, which you can download here (PDF).
The report suggests 5 Principles for a Framework for neighbourhood arrangements:
* engagement with supportive local councils
* making a genuine difference
* flexibility and responsiveness to local needs and circumstances
* consistency with local representative democracy
* the means for the neighbourhood to work effectivley with with other service providers...
The idea is to create a Charter that within a national framework would set out "what local people should expect, both in terms of outcomes... and in terms of control or influence over their neighbourhoods."
There is already a wide range of existing mechanisms and structures for neighbourhood engagement. They all draw on local peoples’ desire to be involved in making services better and reflect:
• Long-established representative bodies – i.e. parish councils
• Initiatives taken over the years by councils to devolve some responsibility or decision-taking – e.g. local authority area committees
• Initiatives in neighbourhood renewal areas
• Other initiatives taken by service deliverers to involve local communities – e.g. Tenant Management Organisations, Sure Start, police consultative forums etc.
• Initiatives by local voluntary or community groups – e.g. tenant associations, faith communities.
In our case, the Ward Commitee, Parish Council and the Millnnium Trust-founded Bishopthorpe@Crossroads project are relevant examples.
Of course citizen angagement has to be rather more meaningful than asking for a litter bin (at £600?).
I hope that our Parish Councillors will give the report a serious read, and respond publicly.
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