Our politicians have already committed to a new era of 'structured civic engagement' in the New Decade New Approach agreement. This should be turned into an open government commitment and spelled out in more detail. Elements could include: 1. Training and building the capacity of the civil service in public participation principles, methods and approaches 2. A transparent mechanism for selecting issues and deciding what methods will be used (e.g. citizens' assemblies) - including cross-party support 3. Quality standards to ensure these processes are commissioned and delivered appropriately e.g. independence from political interference 4. An upfront commitment to respond to and act on the recommendations that result from these processes at Executive and Assembly levels 5. Clear timeframes and responsible departments (The Executive Office and Department of Finance will be key) There's lots more we could add here, let me know what you think!
We'll only rebuild public trust in government if people are given a meaningful say in decision-making
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation