Tag: engagement

Letters: An overhaul of Westminster politics is long overdue

For all the divisions on display in this election campaign, there’s one point nearly all voters agree on: the desperate need for reform in Westminster.

Yet despite many parties commenting on the need for change in their manifestos, the issue of political reform has been dangerously absent from the campaign trail.

This radio silence is indefensible when polling for the Electoral Reform Society shows 85% of people feel that politics isn’t working, and 80% feel they have little or no influence on decision-making today. With public faith this low our politicians cannot afford to stay silent.

The signs of democratic decay are all around us – from an electoral system that wastes votes on an industrial scale, to the private members’ club that is the unelected House of Lords. This year we’ve seen our parliament lunge from crisis to crisis.

This election is a watershed moment for our democracy – inaction is not an option. Today we are calling for leaders to make the issue of updating and transforming Westminster front and centre, as part of #DemocracyDay.

We are asking them all to commit to a constitutional convention involving citizens, to set out how to reform Westminster after the election.

There is a high degree of cross-party unity around issues like updating Britain’s analogue-age campaign rules, spreading power outside of London and reining in our crumbling constitution.

With trust in politics at record lows, voters want to see parties open up about how to overhaul Westminster. Today is an opportunity to do just that. It is time for all parties to present their proposals with pride and passion.

Let’s start to build a better politics.

Willie Sullivan Electoral Reform Society
Ruth Lister Compass
Klina Jordan and Joe Sousek Make Votes Matter
Frances Foley Citizens Convention UK
Alexandra Runswick Unlock Democracy
Neal Lawson Up To Us
Anthony Barnett OpenDemocracy
Jennifer Nadel Compassion In Politics
Matteo Bergamini Shout Out UK
Tabitha Morton More United
Richard Murphy Professor of International Political Economy, City, University of London
Heidi Allen and Peter Dunphy Unite to Remain
Ed Dowker Represent.me
Mark Cridge mySociety
Richard Tunnicliffe and Sue Ellar Represent Us
Dimitri Scarlato the 3million
Paul Thistlethwaite XR Future Democracy Hub
Indra Adnan The Alternative
Andrew Pendleton New Economics Foundation
John Doolan and Paul Blomfield Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform
Keith Sharp Liberal Democrats for Electoral Reform
Frances Scott 50:50 Parliament
Jon Christensen Tax Justice Network

Youth issues top the agenda at tomorrow’s community council meeting

WEST PILTON WEST GRANTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Tuesday 3 September at 7pm – West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre
Please find attached an agenda for Tuesday’s Community Council meeting at the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, starting at 7pm.  I also attach the Minutes from the September meeting.
I’m delighted that Alan Hosie has accepted an invitation to attend to talk about youth work, especially given the concerns that exist in the community about youth crime.  Willie and I are therefore keen for all attending to hear more about the latest situation and what we positively can do together to address this.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday.  If you cannot make it and would like to tender your apologies, please let me know by 5pm on Tuesday.

 Peter Faassen de Heer

Secretary, West Pilton West Granton Community Council

City council wants your help to set it’s budget

When: Wednesday 21 August at 6pm 

Where: Craigroyston Community High School, 67 Pennywell Road

Sign up and join us for a cup of tea, a bite to eat and a chat with people in your area. We want to understand what services you use and value to help us spend and save in the right areas.

Help us shape your city’s budget and register for the session at edinburgh.gov.uk/change

How would you spend £1 billion?  What Council services would you prioritise where you live and citywide? This sounds like a lot of money, but it has to go a long way to meet the needs of our growing population. We want to provide the best services we can with the limited resources we have.

The Council are hosting open sessions where citizens will be invited to take part in group discussions with other people in your area, designed to raise awareness of where the Council invests its resources now.

So, what do you think we can do differently? What services are used and valued by you, your family, your community and fellow Edinburgh residents?

If you are interested in having a cuppa and a bite to eat with people in your area, and giving us your views about the future of Council services, please register using the link below.

Please note, spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Port of Leith Housing Association gets seal of approval for involving its customers

Port of Leith Housing Association has been awarded silver accreditation for excellence in customer participation and engagement by the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Scotland. Continue reading Port of Leith Housing Association gets seal of approval for involving its customers

First steps towards a Citizens Assembly

The Scottish Government has proposed a Citizens’ Assembly on Scotland’s future, providing an opportunity for greater citizen engagement on issues facing the country. It’s early days, but an event in Edinburgh last week gave grounds for optimism. Continue reading First steps towards a Citizens Assembly

Citizens Assembly to help shape Scotland’s future

First step to set up new Assembly to help shape Scotland’s future.

The process of establishing the new Citizens’ Assembly to explore some of the major challenges facing Scotland has begun.

A contractor is being sought to randomly select 120 members of the public to serve on the Assembly. The individuals will be broadly representative of Scotland’s adult population in terms of age, gender, socio-economic class, ethnic group, geography and political attitudes.

The Assembly will consider three broad issues:

* what kind of country should be

* how can Scotland best overcome challenges, including those arising from Brexit

* what further work is required to enable people to make informed choices about the future of Scotland

Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell said: “This is the first time a Citizens’ Assembly has been used in Scotland and will bring together a wide range of ordinary people from across our country in a genuine attempt to reach consensus on the issues that we face. Similar models have been used successfully in countries including Ireland, Canada, Australia and Poland.

“It is a bold idea and one I hope everyone, whatever their political view, can embrace. I believe we all want the best for Scotland and if we have learnt anything from Brexit it is the need to make space for people to engage with information and to exchange different views.”

The Citizens’ Assembly is one strand of the Scottish Government’s three pronged approach to chart a distinctive course for Scotland. The others are the establishment of a legal framework providing the option for a referendum and cross-party talks to identify areas of agreement on constitutional change.

The Scottish Government’s approach is based on lessons learned from a range of Citizens’ Assembly initiatives.

Members will be identified by early September, with the Assembly meeting on six weekends between the autumn and Spring 2020.

Assembly members will receive a gift of thanks of £200 per weekend to recognise their time and contribution. Travel, accommodation and other reasonable costs, such as child care, will also be covered.

MSPs, MPs, MEPs, councillors and members of the House of Lords, political party staff, public appointees and senior public and civil servants will be ineligible to sit on the Assembly, as will representatives and officials of relevant advocacy groups.

An announcement on the convenership of the Assembly will be made by Constitutional Secretary Michael Russell shortly.

 

 

Forth & Inverleith Voluntary Sector Forum date set

Monday 18th February at 9:30am, Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

Dear All,

Apologies for the delay in organising another forum after our meeting at the end of last year.

We plan to hold our next one on:

Monday 18th Feb, 9.30-11.30

F34 at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre

Please find attached the report from the meeting we held in November and I will send around the agenda a week before our meeting – please let me know if there is anything you would like included.

Best wishes,

Katherine Anderson

Development Worker: Children, Young People and Families Network and Voluntary Sector Forums

T: 0131 555 912

FIVSF animate report 22nd Nov

Young people invited to set out their future hopes for the Scottish Parliament

Young people from across Scotland are being asked to send a letter to the Scottish Parliament setting out their hopes and aspirations for the institution over the next 20 years. Continue reading Young people invited to set out their future hopes for the Scottish Parliament