Statutory Tools for Active Citizens

AIM: To provide an overview of active citizenship and the statutory tools that can support active involvement

LEARNING OUTCOMES• Better understanding of what makes an active

citizen• Exploration of different ways of being active• Understanding of the Duty to Involve, the use of

petitions and the Community Call for Action from key government publications

• Improved presentation and team working skills through the planning of active citizenship projects

What is an Active Citizen?

Being active is about:• Being involved in your

community• Having your say, and

expressing your views• Taking part in the decisions

that affect you

What is an active citizen?

Exercise 2:• New drop in centre for older

residents• Improving housing estates• Caring for the environment• Improving people’s health• Politics / public service• Better leisure / sport facilities• Supporting places of worship• Reducing crime• Influencing council services

The different ways you can Be Active

• GOOD NEIGHBOUR – Helping a neighbour, responding to the needs of friends or acquaintances

• CITIZEN GOVERNOR – Lay Magistrate, School Governor, Charity Trustee, Housing Association Board Member

• MANAGED VOLUNTEER – working in a charity shop, desk administration, befriending schemes

• CONSULTED CITIZEN – View Giver, Community Council, completing surveys

• COMMUNITY ACTIVIST – Campaigner, organising a network, discussion forums, lobbying

• COMMUNITY GROUP MEMBER – Women's group, art club, gardening club

Why do politicians want you to get involved?

• WHY?– Belief that devolving more power to local

authorities must be accompanied with devolving more power to citizens. That way they can influence and hold decision makers to account so that people will feel more engaged with society

– Local people will have a greater understanding of how government works

– Greater understanding of the reasons for decisions

– Greater ownership of decisions. Local authorities are better able to respond to local needs through engagement with people

• Local Government White Paper - Creating Stronger and More Prosperous Communities 2006

• Communities in Control: Real People, Real Power- 2nd White Paper 2008

• Community Empowerment Action Plan 2007

• Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

All four are linked by their provisions for:

• A new duty on local councils to promote democracy by ensuring all sections of their communities understand how the council works, who makes the decisions on their behalf and how they can get involved if they wish to

• New rights for citizens to have more information and influence over local decisions

• New powers to hold politicians and officials to account

• A new duty on local councils to respond to petitions

Duty to Involve

• Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

• ‘…embed a culture of engagement and empowerment in local government’

• Local authorities should provide appropriate information

• Three ways of involving– Providing information– Consulting– Involving in another way

• What opportunities should be made available for people to get involved?

Opportunities for local people:• Influence decisions (e.g. participatory budgeting; citizen

juries)• Provide feedback on decisions, services and policies (e.g.

‘have your say’ section on the authority website; feedback forms being made available)

• Co-design/work with the authority in designing policies and services (e.g. representatives of local persons being involved in the commissioning of services)

• Co-produce/carry out some aspects of services for themselves (for example having responsibility for the maintenance of a community centre

• The transfer of assets, or the management of assets, to representatives of local persons; communities taking part in ‘street clean up’ or environmental conservation work)

• Work with the authority in assessing services (e.g. citizens acting as mystery shoppers)

Community Call for Action• If councillor becomes aware of an issue causing concern

to the community (either as a result of information from individuals, community groups or their own observations), they must be able to trigger a response from service providers. Service providers must consider the matter raised. They must state what action they will take or explain their decision not to act

• Purpose?– Gives local communities a way to secure action if they have

failed to address a particular persistent issue– Not designed to replace existing methods of complaint, but to

complement them– Another tool to empower citizens– As a last resort may result in scrutiny action

How will it work?

Approach by community to

councillors

Councillor rejects the call for action (in line with guidance).

Councillor and/or local partners try to resolve the issue informally.

Most problems resolved at this stage.

Councillor refers difficult problems that can’t be resolved at this stage to scrutiny.

The relevant Scrutiny Committee considers the issue.

Scrutiny decides that there is no case for further action.

Cabinet or relevant partner consider scrutiny report. Community advised of decision.

Scrutiny draws up recommendations for action.

Petitions

• Fewer than a third of councils guarantee a response• The new duty forces local councils to respond to all

petitions, including electronic petitions, relating to local authority functions or other public services where the council shares delivery responsibilities

• If 5% of local population sign a petition, there will have to be a full council debate

• What are the 5 circumstances in which local authorities must respond to petitions?

• What are Southwark Council’s minimum requirements?

Writing a petition - things to remember

• Contact details: name, address• Clear statement about what you are requesting and / or

opposing– Important you have undertaken some research. Is this an issue

the local community will support?

• Indicate where and to whom the petition will be sent• Be able to explain the background of the issue and why it

is important• What forum will you use? Document, internet

(number10.gov.uk, gopetition.co.uk) or email • Must collect names, addresses and signature• A strategy to communicate and promote the petition so as

many people as possible can sign it

Taking Action

Exercise 4 - Situation cards:

• Empty houses in Rotherhithe

• Dulwich depot

• Traffic calming around Southwark Park

• New school crossing in Bermondsey

AIM: To provide an overview of active citizenship and the statutory tools that can support active involvement

LEARNING OUTCOMES• Better understanding of what makes an active

citizen• Exploration of different ways of being active• Understanding of the Duty to Involve, the use of

petitions and the Community Call for Action from key government publications

• Improved presentation and team working skills through the planning of active citizenship projects

Our Contact Details

Tel: 0800 018 5692 / 0207 403 2936

Email: info@volunteercentres.org.uk

Web: www.volunteercentres.org.uk

Web: www.do-it.org.uk