CityHealth’s Post

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Today we launch our campaign around driving the development of a regional master plan for Greater Hobart - one that is co-created with the community and independently governed.  Since its inception, the Committee has undertaken foundational research, and talked with our members, young people and stakeholders to understand what they believe is important for the future liveability of our region. Our research into cities and regions across the world that are thriving showed that they have developed a clear and distinct ambition and a clearly articulated, community-owned and supported plan for the future. We believe it is essential that a regional master plan for Greater Hobart, facilitated by the Committee and collaboratively designed with and by the community, is delivered with independent oversight and accountability. Our campaign is designed to shine a spotlight on the fact that currently, planning for the region is done in silos without due consideration for the interconnectedness of the region and its attributes.  This is leading to a number of issues impacting on the liveability of Greater Hobart like access to safe, affordable and fit for purpose housing, access to health services and transport congestion not being resolved.  The Committee has identified a gap between local and state government where we believe we can work with all levels of government to help facilitate a solution.  We are calling on the incoming State Government to work with the local councils and the region's residents, businesses and organisations to join us in building a better future for our region. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e-e6H52V

The places in which people live have a profound influence over the opportunities they have and the choices they can make – and planning shapes those places. Whether people have good homes, easy access to parks and green spaces, pleasant and safe routes for walking and cycling, local jobs, shops, schools, and other vital infrastructure, is all influenced by planning. Local plans are key documents through which local authorities can create and influence environments to create and maintain health, and yet they are often weak and inconsistent on how exactly this can be achieved. This free webinar will explore a new framework for creating healthy Local Plans, co-authored by TRUUD (Tackling Root causes upstream of Unhealthy Urban Development) and the TCPA, who working with a number of local authorities across England have developed this document for local authority officers from planning and public health full of practical evidence, guidance, and inspiration to show how, working together, it can be done. https://lnkd.in/e28jMgrA

Portlanders: What kind of city council leaders do you want to represent you? The 2024 Portland: Your City, Your Choice Survey from the Oregon Values & Beliefs Center Values and Beliefs Center focuses on Portlanders' core values and beliefs by asking questions ranging from quality of life to the kind of City Council members you want representing the city. Just take it! https://lnkd.in/grq3Qfey

🚀 Save the date! 13 and 14 February. Join us for the launch events of DemocracyNext's "6 Ways to Democratise City Planning" Paper, coming out with a call for proposals to cities to put these IDEAS into ACTION. 🗓 Register for Tues 13 Feb (8:00-9:30 PST, 11:00-12:30 EST, 17:00-18:30 CET): https://lnkd.in/exdwVD9t 🗓 Register for Wed 14 Feb (9:30-11:00 CET, 13:30-15:00 IST, 19:30-21:00 AEDT): https://lnkd.in/eBXE5qnR The future of the cities we inhabit and where we spend our daily lives matters to all of us in very tangible ways. This future is also collective. We share the spaces we call home with numerous beings. Balancing a diversity of people’s needs and preferences, concerns for environmental and social justice, a flourishing living planet, sustainability and resilience, communities’ health and well-being, as well as a desire for beauty, joy, and belonging is no easy feat. So many of these things are interconnected and are directly and deeply impacted by urban planning and the multiple other decisions we take about our built environment. Who makes these decisions, and how they are made matter greatly. We argue that the ‘who’ and the ‘how’ of urban planning decision making need to change. To live in thriving and healthy cities, we propose six possible ways to instigate systemic changes that can democratise the governance of urban planning decisions through Citizens’ Assemblies and connected participatory approaches. At the heart of the 6 scenarios are 3 types of Citizens’ Assemblies with rotating Members selected by lottery (sortition) - city-wide, community, and ad-hoc. These Assemblies are envisioned to be a core part of a much wider participatory ecosystem that involves digital surveying, participatory data collection and map-making, citizen science, and community-driven initiatives like placemaking, public dialogues, and design workshops. We have thought about Citizens’ Assemblies holistically, as an intrinsic part of a city’s decision-making processes. This means there should be a direct connection to the relevant public authority and other key actors, including managers, urban planners, developers and investors, civil society groups, architects, and researchers. We also explore the intersection between the systemic governance infrastructure and the spatial infrastructure needed to enable these changes to the existing democratic culture in a long-lasting, effective way. Finally, in the paper we suggest practical ways to get started in implementing these ideas depending on context, taking into account a city’s size, existing institutions and processes, and resources available. Together with James MacDonald-Nelson, Ieva Cesnulaityte, Lucy Reid, and Gustav Kjær Vad Nielsen, we've been collaborating for 8 months with our amazing International Task Force on Democratising City Planning, as well as over 100 stakeholders from over 30 countries to shape these ideas. We hope you also find them ambitious, yet possible.

Here are some of the highlights from Monday evening's City Commission meeting. You can find a detailed list of last night's agenda items here: https://bit.ly/3KGKZ2I

🏙️ How can cities respond to the threat of disinformation? 🆕 In this new playbook by GMF Cities and the Melbourne Centre for Cities, experts provide guidance on how cities can understand the spread of disinformation, and respond effectively. Read Now ⬇️ https://bit.ly/4cK0cf5

Are you looking to boost engagement among younger homeowners within your HOA? Dive into our latest blog post where we explore effective strategies to involve this dynamic demographic in community activities and governance. Discover how modernizing communication methods, introducing flexible meeting schedules, and creating relevant and appealing activities can draw in younger residents and enrich your community. This guide provides practical tips and fresh ideas to enhance participation and ensure that everyone in your community feels connected and represented. https://lnkd.in/dhmJAqHz

Interesting in finding out more about how to measure and act on Urban Quality of Life issues? Join this dialogue between academia and local government on Fri, 10 May, 15:00 - 16:30 GMT+2 I've been a part of this inititiave with some great people - let's hope we gain traction on this important issue. https://lnkd.in/dDajkXZR

🏙️ How can cities respond to the threat of disinformation? 🆕 In this new playbook by GMF Cities & the Melbourne Centre for Cities, experts provide guidance on how cities can understand the spread of disinformation, and respond effectively. Read Now ⬇️ https://bit.ly/4cK0cf5

Some really great success stories on this episode - and interesting to learn that it’s not just recruitment companies and job centres that can help people get back into work or make a complete career change - worth a listen if you are thinking of doing something new !