Involving us all in thriving communities – the real work starts now

Sitting on the train on the way back from the bassac conference recently I was mulling over what had been said over the two days. Had anything surprised me, made me tut with annoyance or even made me want to stand up, point a finger and shout ‘But that’s just not how it works!’

I think I did have a moment like that but I restrained myself, remembering I was the chief executive. It was when a panel discussion turned to the duty to involve and the implication was that it would suddenly be enough to get people and councils meeting, talking and working together just as a fully-functioning democracy should do.

But that’s just not how it works! We know from what our members tell us, that it can be a massive struggle for community organisations to have any kind of meaningful engagement with local authorities. Aside from that, encouraging local people to galvanise themselves to get a result for their community can be hard work. 

Is it too much to want a truly participative democracy, in which local councillors know the residents they serve, where neighbourhood groups work together to achieve the best possible result for all, and where the local authority and community anchor organisations listen and learn from each other? 

I don’t think it is. More than that, I think that is the only way it can be. We must stop taking it for granted that the letter of the law will be followed and all will be right with the world. 

The work for bassac members starts here to make sure that local government engages with the duty to involve and every member of the community can play their part in running the country – by which I mean the area that they live in, work in and care about. 

Perhaps at the next bassac conference I’ll be sitting there, nodding in satisfaction at the stories of thriving local neighbourhoods where there is genuine participation at all levels? Something tells me that may not be the case.