04 July 2008
The government should strengthen local representative democracy to achieve its community empowerment plans, a think-tank has said.
The Social Market Foundation report says there is a 'mismatch between the government's ambition to reinvigorate local democracy' and the mechanisms they hope will increase participation in community affairs.
Disconnected citizens, by senior research fellow Jessica Prendergrast, anticipates the Communities in control white paper expected to be published this month by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
The report warns that the 'exponential rise in participatory opportunities in recent years has not been accompanied by an improvement in people's sense of connection to formal politics or the degree to which people feel empowered to influence decisions'.
As an alternative to strengthening use of petitions or creating 'citizen juries', the lowest tiers of a local council should co-ordinate participation, holding top-tier councillors to account, the report says.
PFjul2008
