Improving citizen involvement through e-democracy Stephen Hilton Connecting Bristol Bristol City Council

Bristol’s location

About Bristol 8 th largest city in England and Wales Population: 393,900 8.2% Black and Ethnic Minority residents Students: 25,600 Highest GDP in UK outside London

8 th largest city in England and Wales

Population: 393,900

8.2% Black and Ethnic Minority residents

Students: 25,600

Highest GDP in UK outside London

Council’s engagement history Long-established disability and equalities forums, scrutiny and select committees Public forum space at meetings Bristol Citizens Panel set up in 1998 – made up of 2000 residents Consultation strategy agreed in 2001

Long-established disability and equalities forums, scrutiny and select committees

Public forum space at meetings

Bristol Citizens Panel set up in 1998 – made up of 2000 residents

Consultation strategy agreed in 2001

Consultation Strategy: Agreed 2001 “ Bristol City Council is committed to open and inclusive local government and to using a wide range of approaches to public consultation to ensure it listens effectively and considers the views of its citizens as part of its decision-making with the aim of ensuring its policies and services reflect the aspirations and needs of Bristol's diverse communities.”

“ Bristol City Council is committed to open and inclusive local government and to using a wide range of approaches to public consultation to ensure it listens effectively and considers the views of its citizens as part of its decision-making with the aim of ensuring its policies and services reflect the aspirations and needs of Bristol's diverse communities.”

Why e-democracy? Traditional methods of engagement mainly attractive to older, retired, white, middle class To broaden input into local decision-making processes by making it easier To create ongoing links with citizens Evolve techniques of engagement to meet changing customer demands

Traditional methods of engagement mainly attractive to older, retired, white, middle class

To broaden input into local decision-making processes by making it easier

To create ongoing links with citizens

Evolve techniques of engagement to meet changing customer demands

From top-down to grassroots Interactive webcasting Multimedia consultation Local issues forums Campaign Creator E-panel E-petitions Online surveys Consultation Finder 2008 2000

Interactive webcasting

Multimedia consultation

Local issues forums

Campaign Creator

E-panel

E-petitions

Online surveys

Consultation Finder

Consultation Finder A database of past, present and forthcoming consultations Searchable by area of interest and ward Departmental editors add their own information Allows publishing of results and feedback Currently being redeveloped to share with partner agencies

A database of past, present and forthcoming consultations

Searchable by area of interest and ward

Departmental editors add their own information

Allows publishing of results and feedback

Currently being redeveloped to share with partner agencies

E-petitions Way for people to gather support for issues online Often comes with discussion forum for each online petition Petitioner encouraged to provide background information, photos, links Creates a central space for all petition details Encourages feedback

Way for people to gather support for issues online

Often comes with discussion forum for each online petition

Petitioner encouraged to provide background information, photos, links

Creates a central space for all petition details

Encourages feedback

Feedback & Action Recycling plastics – a lot more recycling points, cardboard collections but still no doorstep plastics collections Banksy – one of highest supported petitions. Much loved street artist’s picture kept for now Castle park – petition against development over part of the park. New plans being drawn up

Recycling plastics – a lot more recycling points, cardboard collections but still no doorstep plastics collections

Banksy – one of highest supported petitions. Much loved street artist’s picture kept for now

Castle park – petition against development over part of the park. New plans being drawn up

Webcasting

Webcasting European funded eParticipate project through eTen programme 2-year project with partners in Czech, Slovakia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Denmark & France Aim is to increase citizen participation by 25% - currently low public turn out at most meetings

European funded eParticipate project through eTen programme

2-year project with partners in Czech, Slovakia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Denmark & France

Aim is to increase citizen participation by 25% - currently low public turn out at most meetings

Benefits Easier access to council meetings plus meetings archived for six months Better public understanding of what the council does – humanises councillors Easier to get involved and follow through consultations or engagement activities Can webcast events, training and ceremonies as well as meetings giving greater awareness / participation in other cultural and civic events

Easier access to council meetings plus meetings archived for six months

Better public understanding of what the council does – humanises councillors

Easier to get involved and follow through consultations or engagement activities

Can webcast events, training and ceremonies as well as meetings giving greater awareness / participation in other cultural and civic events

Joining up e-participation Second European funded project called Legese - “Easing participation in legislative processes” Funded through eParticipation programme Aims to help improve understanding of and involvement in the local implementation of European policies Local authority partners in Czech republic (Wysocina) and Ireland (Fingal)

Second European funded project called Legese - “Easing participation in legislative processes”

Funded through eParticipation programme

Aims to help improve understanding of and involvement in the local implementation of European policies

Local authority partners in Czech republic (Wysocina) and Ireland (Fingal)

Legese in Bristol Brings together e-petitions, e-consultation, e-forums and webcasting on one website Linked with Climate Change Select Committee – Bristol working to become a Green Capital

Brings together e-petitions, e-consultation, e-forums and webcasting on one website

Linked with Climate Change Select Committee – Bristol working to become a Green Capital

Bringing it all together

askbristol.com E-participation portal for Bristol Provides access to Consultation Finder, e-petitions, webcasting and Viewfinder Central point of access – prevents need to publicise multiple websites Branding and cross-referencing throughout the site Improving partnership working so that resource for the city, not just the council

E-participation portal for Bristol

Provides access to Consultation Finder, e-petitions, webcasting and Viewfinder

Central point of access – prevents need to publicise multiple websites

Branding and cross-referencing throughout the site

Improving partnership working so that resource for the city, not just the council

Some facts and figures Around 40,000 signatures on 100 e-petitions - over 9,500 signatures on highest supported e-petition Nearly 7,000 unique webcast viewers since October – State of the City debate attracted 1,200 views Climate change discussions attracted 145 comments from 77 participants – around 3,000 views of the discussion

Around 40,000 signatures on 100 e-petitions - over 9,500 signatures on highest supported e-petition

Nearly 7,000 unique webcast viewers since October – State of the City debate attracted 1,200 views

Climate change discussions attracted 145 comments from 77 participants – around 3,000 views of the discussion

What’s next? Connecting Bristol and the DC10plus - focus on Digital Inclusion and innovation Citizenscape – EU funded project under eParticipation – evolutionary step forward to incorporate Web 2.0

Connecting Bristol and the DC10plus - focus on Digital Inclusion and innovation

Citizenscape – EU funded project under eParticipation – evolutionary step forward to incorporate Web 2.0

Find out more Stephen Hilton Email: stephen . [email_address] .gov.uk www. askbristol .com www. bristol . gov .uk/edemocracy www.connectingbristol.org

Stephen Hilton

Email: stephen . [email_address] .gov.uk

www. askbristol .com

www. bristol . gov .uk/edemocracy

www.connectingbristol.org

Workshop Questions Are e-petitions the “killer application” of e-democracy or are they simply a “blunt instrument”? Should authorities stop thinking in terms of “e-democracy tools” and start thinking about multi-media “democracy channels”?

Are e-petitions the “killer application” of e-democracy or are they simply a “blunt instrument”?

Should authorities stop thinking in terms of “e-democracy tools” and start thinking about multi-media “democracy channels”?