City of Melville Residents and Ratepayers Assoc Inc.’s Post

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION is a cornerstone of our local government, our wider democracy and a basic human right. So why then does the City of Melville Council and its officers use external and internal tools to repress or shutdown public participation in the City’s affairs and decision making. The City has created draconian and obstructive local laws, policies and procedures that create many obstacles and disincentives for public participation.    There are repressive rules are around public attendance at meetings, deputations, written submissions, asking public questions, “unreasonable” complainant behaviour, accessing information (incl. building records). The list could go on. Even when the City is required to consult the community it appears to be a "tick the box" exercise rather than genuinely listening to, and acting on, the views of the community the City is supposed to represent. How often have we heard residents say, "why bother, they never listen".  We have seen considerable effort by the community to bring resolutions to Annual Electors' meetings which are passed overwhelmingly but only noted, with little or no follow up action by the City. The MRRA is of the opinion the City uses repressive rules and practices to silence scrutiny and criticism of its performance.    Many in the community have felt such repressive rules have been applied to cover-up the City’s failures and mismanagement. The City needs become more agile to encourage public participation at every opportunity, to listen to and act on the voice of the community.  These changes could start at the Council committee level, for which the community should be involved. The attached 2-page written submission was sent to the City last week, 5 business days before the 17 September Council meeting at which the subject motion will be decided. The MRRA’s written submission provides feedback on the CEO’s report to Council on the restructuring of the Council committee that are intended to oversee the CEO and the administration. The City’s CEO can reject this written submission, Elected Members can ignore it.  In the past the City has refused or unilaterally edited written submissions. So will this important written submission form part of Council’s deliberations at next Tuesday’s meeting; as it should.      Join the meeting this coming Tuesday 17 September to find-out just how committed the City is to the concept of public participation, and the community’s right to be heard: https://lnkd.in/gCwz_MHy #publicparticipation #governance #council #Melville #residents #democracy #localgovernment #ratepayers #residents #SLAPP #residentsrevolt #MRRA #katymair #kimgiddens #lisaomalley #hannahbeazely #rogercook #samlim

How Officials Ignored Community Voices and Faced Backlash In this powerful chapter, we delve into the contentious relationship between community officials and their constituents. Explore the implications of past mistakes and the recent policy changes igniting outrage in the community. Discover the importance of accountability and open dialogue in governance. #CommunityRelations #PolicyChange #GovernmentAccountability #CivicEngagement #PublicOutrage #CityCouncil #CommunityVoices #UnconstitutionalPolicies #LocalGovernment #SocialJustice

How Officials Ignored Community Voices and Faced Backlash In this powerful chapter, we delve into the contentious relationship between community officials and their constituents. Explore the implications of past mistakes and the recent policy changes igniting outrage in the community. Discover the importance of accountability and open dialogue in governance. #CommunityRelations #PolicyChange #GovernmentAccountability #CivicEngagement #PublicOutrage #CityCouncil #CommunityVoices #UnconstitutionalPolicies #LocalGovernment #SocialJustice

Local government can play a major role in repairing trust. Public trust in government has been declining, but as Mike Bell (Envisio) and Dr. Maria Church, CSP (Government Leadership Solutions) rightly note in American City & County, "Rebuilding trust is not just an aspiration; it is a necessity for the well-being of our communities and the preservation of our democratic values." Read more here! 👇 #Trust #GovernmentTransparency #LocalGovernment

Check out my latest with Ashwin Prabaharan in Manhattan Institute’s City Journal on why the proposed amendments to the New York Charter fail to make meaningful change.

📺 Watch On Demand 📺 👉 Could a return of 2009’s Total Place policy help address 2024’s challenges in public services? John Copps was joined by Fenella Beckman, Director of Housing Strategy for Lewisham Council, and former Total Place Programme Manager in Lewisham, Nuala O'Rourke, Former Programme Manager for Total Place in Greater Manchester and Warrington and Elizabeth Roe, Consultant at Mutual Ventures on our recent webinar to to unpack lessons learned from the programme and why enhanced collaboration among local public services is likely the most sustainable approach to managing local public service finances. Catch up on this insightful discussion here: https://lnkd.in/emWKdB9b #PublicServiceReform #PublicService #LocalAuthority #PublicSector #LocalGov #LocalGovernment #LocalAuthority #Partnership

I just walked past the site of yesterday’s fire in Catford, a stark reminder of the troubling state of affairs in our industry. As Peter Apps eloquently articulates in his preview of the Grenfell Inquiry Report, there is “a common thread of a hollowed out state,” characterized by a pervasive sense of being “worn down, worn out, and lacking the resources to do much beyond managing the daily tasks.” A glance at the building's facade reveals broken windows, covered with temporary sheeting. This imagery underscores a narrative of underinvestment and neglect, where disrepair makes the likelihood of fire almost inevitable. This issue extends beyond the London Borough of Lewisham; it is mirrored in cities across the UK. The root causes are societal and social democratic issues that current and future governments must address. These challenges are the foundation of our present crisis. We see the impact of these issues in every aspect of life—healthcare, social care, education, transportation, security, and utilities. What we need is a fundamental shift in approach, one that prioritises the wellbeing of all UK residents, creating a society we can be proud of and feel safe in.

Feature - Cutting through the noise “It’s one thing being heard but it’s another thing being listened to…And there is no company like us in the North East.” As the political landscape in the North East and in Whitehall has comprehensively shifted in the past few months, it has never been more important for businesses to adjust to the changes, and opportunities, that a new Labour Government and devolution will bring. This is where leading Newcastle-based public affairs consultancy Stephenson-Mohl Group can provide invaluable support, advice and connections, not only helping businesses and organisations to navigate the often indecipherable complexities of legislation and regulation, but also opening doors to decision-makers at all levels, enabling clients to shape political agendas and policies, both at a regional and national level. We sat down with founder and managing director Mark Stephenson to find out more about the company, which will soon open a second office in Westminster, and how the relationships it has successfully cultivated provide clients with the access and ability to “manage political risk and lever political processes to forge new opportunities.” Read more about the insight, expertise and relationships that Stephenson-Mohl Group can offer here: https://lnkd.in/ezaEckHb Chris McHugh Alexander Kirkup Georgia Jamieson nee Elliott Rebecca Johnson MCIPR #sponsored #NET #northeasttimes #StephensonMohlGroup #consultancy #publicaffairs #politics #politicalinsight #devolution #makingconnections #drivingconversations

Champions of enhanced foresight, national strategy development, long term thinking, resilience and anticipation, citizen participation and youth engagement alike will have much to learn from a recently released report from the UK House of Commons on promoting national strategy in Whitehall. The Liaison Committee report emphasizes several points the Federal Foresight Advocacy Alliance makes in our case statement advocating for a US Office of Strategic Foresight in the executive branch, and robust foresight capacity in Congress as well. https://lnkd.in/eYHpSihc Here are a few select quotes from the UK report: "The outlook for the next 20 years will continue to be one of insecurity, instability and uncertainty. There will be challenges and opportunities arising from coping with the national debt, trends in demography, decarbonisation, deglobalisation, in the sphere of defence, and from emerging technologies. Therefore, the centre of government will need to be looking forward and be engaged well beyond government, with industry and academia, and involve the public in its deliberations in order to navigate these transitions ahead. In addition, the issue of the lack of political representation of the interests of young and upcoming generations will reinforce the need for our institutions to engage with the long-term implications of decisions taken now, to address the interests of future generations. These are all issues with which modern democracies and civil society are engaging. We examine in this chapter what action the government has taken in this respect and consider a number of mechanisms and innovations that have been tried in other jurisdictions with the aim of encouraging a longer-term perspective. We also consider the evidence we have received that emphasises how an inter-generational approach and whole-of-society engagement is crucial." (Paragraphs 92-93) "No matter how valuable, however, foresight will fail in its purpose if not connected to the decision-making apparatus. What is required is that a system is established, and it is clear that the different elements of foresight are working together to support decision-makers." (Paragraphs 105-106) The time is now for Congress and the Executive Branch to put in place the structures, institutional roles, professional development of staff, and engagement mechanisms for outside stakeholders to ensure that a vibrant and sustainable future lies ahead for Americans. #government #democracy #governance #strategicforesight #nationalstrategy #USOfficeofStrategicForesight #Congress2076 School of International Futures (SOIF) POPVOX Foundation Partnership for Public Service Berggruen Institute Cat Tully Marci Harris Anne Meeker Aditi Juneja Dan Kamensky Robert Shea Jim Williams Suzette Brooks Masters Kara Cunzeman Robin Champ Karthick Ramakrishnan Al Faber Cynthia Selin Peter Scoblic Maria Bothwell Brian David Johnson Sheila Ronis Nils Gilman