Comments on: Sustainable development and the decline of local interest http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2010/03/17/sustainable-development-and-the-decline-of-local-interest/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Promoting innovation and a conversational local politics Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:58:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Warren Hatter http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2010/03/17/sustainable-development-and-the-decline-of-local-interest/comment-page-1/#comment-1560 Warren Hatter Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:31:30 +0000 http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/?p=2224#comment-1560 While I agree that many signs are not very positive (despite the likes of the Transition Movement), I'd be a little cautious about reading too much into the Hansard findings. Local authorities really stepped up their game on communications from the end of the 90s through into the noughties. I suspect that knowing at least a fair amount is a result of that. In the past couple of years, this 'broadcast' model (Borough magazine to all households) etc has become old hat, hasn't it, so maybe less effective. If I'm right, then this is simply a measure of the flow of relevant information noticed by citizens, and doesn't really tell us anything about the type of engagement that makes serious localism possible. Personally, I'm an advocate of 'build it and they will come', rather than looking for evidence that authorities and communities currently have the capacity to take on devolution / subsidiarity. While I agree that many signs are not very positive (despite the likes of the Transition Movement), I’d be a little cautious about reading too much into the Hansard findings. Local authorities really stepped up their game on communications from the end of the 90s through into the noughties. I suspect that knowing at least a fair amount is a result of that.

In the past couple of years, this ‘broadcast’ model (Borough magazine to all households) etc has become old hat, hasn’t it, so maybe less effective. If I’m right, then this is simply a measure of the flow of relevant information noticed by citizens, and doesn’t really tell us anything about the type of engagement that makes serious localism possible.

Personally, I’m an advocate of ‘build it and they will come’, rather than looking for evidence that authorities and communities currently have the capacity to take on devolution / subsidiarity.

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