Using edemocracy to strengthen representative democracy

1
Using e-democracy to strengthen representative
democracy

• Councillor Mary Reid
• Kingston upon Thames, UK
• mary.reid_at_councillors.kingston.gov.uk

2
Kingston upon Thames
3
The challenge

• Does greater participation by citizens in local
  government between elections reduce the role of
  elected representatives?

4
The fear
Representative democracy
Direct democracy
Participatory democracy
5
Styles of governance
Traditionalrepresentativedemocracy
Dominance by the loudest
6
Participatory spaces
7
Participatory representatives

• ensure that all voices are heard
• balance conflicting demands and needs
• encourage citizens to find solutions
• make decisions that are more sustainable
• are accountable for decisions
• work in partnership
• with citizens
• with other public service agencies
• with suppliers of services
• with community and pressure groups

8
eDemocracy

• enhances participation by
• broadening access
• supporting ground up activism
• improving consultation
• identifying issues
• enabling networking
• encouraging collaborative problem solving
• creating social capital

9
Impact of eDemocracy
Catalyst?
Traditionalrepresentativedemocracy
Threat?

• Democratic change is essentially a slow process
  that is as much about addressing underlying
  cultural beliefs as it is about altering specific
  processes.

10
Local eDemocracy National Project

• Sponsor Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
• Scope England
• Phase 1 Development
• November 2003 - March 2005
• Funding 6 million euros
• Phase 2 Productisation and dissemination
• April 2005 March 2006
• Funding 0.75 million euros
• Governance Project Board (including councillors)
• Project management Local authorities

11
Enhancing democracy

• A project enhances democracy if it
• supports representative democracy
• engages citizens
• makes decision-making transparent
• manages conflict as well as consensus
• improves political equality
• increases community control

12
eDemocracy toolkit
COMMUNITIES
COUNCILLORS
COUNCILS
13
Weblogs for civic leadership engagement
www.readmyday.co.uk
14
Online surgeries for young people

• Chatroom style conversations with
• Members of Parliament
• Members of regional Assembly
• local councillors
• member of Youth Parliament

15
Email your councillor
16
Issues Forum
Brighton Hove
17
Working with the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk/actionnetwork
18
www.e_democracy.gov.uk
19
My contact details

• Councillor Mary Reid
• Chair Local e-Democracy National Project
• mary.reid_at_councillors.kingston.gov.uk