Report launch: Renewing Neighbourhood Democracy – Creating Powerful Communities on Tuesday 17 November from 11.00 a.m.
Join us from 11.00 a.m. on the morning of Tuesday 17 November for the online launch of our latest report: “Renewing Neighbourhood Democracy – Creating Powerful Communities”
How can we truly empower our communities?
The promise of subsidiarity, or double devolution, as a mechanism for giving communities greater power and control over decision-making and resources, has been a promise much vaunted of but largely unfulfilled. There are exceptions, but on the whole it has been regarded a faded new localist dawn at best.
From a localist viewpoint, this failure to achieve devolutionary potential must be seen as a risk ahead of the imminent and eagerly-awaited arrival of Local Recovery and Devolution White Paper. This is set to put into motion a new wave of unitary local authorities and Mayoral Combined Authorities serving ever larger populations – when England already has the largest units of local government across Europe. In this context, the gap between the promise and reality of double devolution is liable to be construed as a convenient political fig-leaf – masking the failure to hold a fundamental debate about the role of local government, neighbourhood democracy and the relationship between centre and locality.
Starting from the view that the devolution journey must be as open, accessible and as meaningful as possible for communities and places to thrive in an inclusive and sustainable way, this research project will develop an evidence base to explain the mechanisms and tools for giving communities greater powers and control.
A particular focus will be given to examples of double devolution that don’t leave poorer or ‘left behind’ areas, further behind.
In the discussion, we want to expand upon the key findings of the report and debate some of the following strategic issues for practical adoption:
- What can we do with existing legislation and powers to protect social infrastructure and boost community resilience?
- What extra flexibilities do we need to extend to entrench Community Rights and provide a genuine voice?
- How can we deliver resources and funding at hyperlocal level to level up our communities through restoration and upgrading of social infrastructure?
- Through what means are these resources most efficiently and equitably distributed?
Event information:
The Zoom Webinar will commence at 11.00 a.m. and run for one hour.
Speakers include:
- Rayhan Haque, Senior Policy Officer, Local Trust
- Danny Kruger MP for Devizes and author ‘Levelling up our communities’
- Alison Mckenzie-Folan, Chief Executive, Wigan Council
- Jo Phillips, award-winning journalist and former political adviser
A recording of the panel debate is available below:
Project kindly sponsored by:
