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Bristol Urban Forum publishes 'City Participation Principles'

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How can people get involved in ongoing conversations, projects and debate about the future of the city?


A series of meetings with the city following the final event in the Bristol Urban Forum series ‘Is it time for a permanent citizen’s assembly for Bristol?’ led to the development of a framework for citizen participation in Bristol, which is published today.  The framework recognises the outcome of the panel discussion at that event that citizens assemblies are one (expensive) tool in a wider toolbox of options when it comes to participation and that Bristol’s many layers of democracy require different approaches.

 

The document lays out examples, and these are not confined to the workings of local government: the universities, WECA and business are all involved in the type of placemaking activity that requires open dialogue with communities. In the framework we explore possible models for participation across planning systems, area committees, budget setting and the One City system that recognise both the constraints and the opportunities of involving people. Participation is not a box to be ticked. It is a progressive approach to a system that has increasingly left people feeling alienated and confused. It is a way to encourage a sense of agency and ownership, not just in the formation of policy and ideas, but in the delivery of them. The Forum believes that Bristol is the right city to lead the way on this model in the UK, as other progressive cities across the world are doing.

 

Underpinning the framework is a set of principles that serve as a way to design citizen involvement in city decision-making. We will invite comment on these principles at the meeting on 7th November:

 

  1. Opportunities to participate should be available to everyone in the city, even if not all processes (e.g. citizens assemblies) are available to all. Actions to ensure access could include remunerating participants for their time and expenses and providing childcare and transport services.

  2. Participation should be creative, engaging and inclusive, designed for everyone to take fulfilment from the process

  3. Although the recommendations that arise from participatory processes are advisory, where decision-makers deviate from recommendations, they must publish a response in explanation.

  4. Participation should not be extractive – everyone who participates should be kept informed about what is being done with the views they have given and either see action as a result or justification for why action was not taken.

  5. Opportunities to participate should be ongoing – anyone that has enjoyed contributing should be provided with ways to continue to do so.

  6. Participation should be an end-to-end process, from agenda setting to decision-making.

  7. Processes should recognise and mitigate for power differential where possible, not only between organisers and participants, but between participants. All that participate should have equal status and that status should be embedded in the design of all processes.

  8. Processes should be neutral, apolitical and independent in design and execution

  9. Processes should be regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to provide value to both participants and organisers.

 

You can read the document here:





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