Communities in control 10. July 2008 – 20:25 by Fraser Henderson - ICELE

The Department for Communities and Local Government in the UK has recently released a new white paper on community empowerment. This White Paper sets out concrete proposals for areas where both central and local UK government can devolve more power to citizens – giving local communities the power to drive real improvements in everything from the way their neighbourhoods are policed to the way that community assets are used.

The paper hinges on the theory that  ”while people want to have a greater say, they need also to be convinced that their involvement will make a difference. If they speak up, they want to know that their voices will be heard. This is what empowerment is all about – passing more and more political power to more and more people through every practical means”

My take is that “empowerment” only works if the recipient is ready, able and willing to accept it. Furthermore the notion that it is a “gift” from government is a bit archaic; power should be ‘taken’ by the community for there to be any effective consequence.

The paper does come out with a good set of actions, however.  For example:-

• a duty to promote democracy to all councils (with the suggested use of blogs, podcasts and interactive websites)
• Grassroots grants” for third sector organisations
• a new duty to respond to petitions and if 5% of the local population sign then there has to be a full council debate
• petitions in other areas of public service
• all authorities encouraged to have participatory budgeting by 2012
• a call for local mayors to be directly elected
• a network of “digital inclusion advisers” who will work directly with individual local authorities and their partners and the launch of a “digital equality action plan”
• funding for media and technology (but no co-ordinating unit!)
• a digital mentor scheme in deprived areas
• the power to provide incentives for voting (e.g. prize-draw)

Sadly the digital angle is still lacking.  For example, there is no duty on the use of “e”petitions and the advantages of social networking, collaberative legislation making, technologies for PB and online voter awareness are underplayed.

Alas, eParticipation remains underground for now….

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