Governance Commission: initial response

Social Media CIC, publisher of social enterprise newspaper Local Edition, and HAVOC, a community group based in Burslem, have welcomed the findings of the Governance Commission and pledged to play their part in reviving local democracy. They will submit their own responses to the City Council on what they can offer to help bridge the divisions identified by the Commission, who collected evidence from local people and groups and identified serious failings in local governance.

HAVOC spokesman Hugh Irvine said: "So-called "leaders" decry apathy, but they are currently so far removed from their electorate that they do not realise that the people are far from apathetic, even after the Schools débacle, the Dimensions fiasco, and the "Hole-in-the-Wall" U-turn. All of these sagas were preventable. However, the Council leadership carried on in their "we are right and everybody else is wrong" mode, and made bad decisions. All they had to do was talk, and listen, to the common man before announcing their decisions."

Editor of Local Edition Clare-Marie White said: "The findings of the Commission echoed with what we hear working within the communities of Northern Stoke-on-Trent. While all of us will have our own views on the proposals and will be involved in the discussions over the summer, I think the most important thing is to help create the new structures to enable everyone to get involved at whatever level they want to, so they're no longer left out by political leaders and not stuck in this negative cycle. The City Council have a very clear message now and must take whatever steps are necessary to improve community engagement."

Any groups, individuals etc are welcome if they wish to add their names to the statement or adapt it for their own use. Social Media CIC has also launched a social networking website (www.socialmedia.org.uk) which gives community groups and individuals free space to communicate and connect with each other online.

We endorse the findings of the Governance Commission presented to John
Healy, Local Government Minister in May 2008.

We will do what we can to help engage people in our networks in the debate that must now follow. We will take our place as a partner organisation to help revive political involvement and reconnect people with decision-makers, whether elected or otherwise.

We demand that the City Council act immediately to do everything necessary to re-engage all of Stoke-on-Trent's communities in its work at every single level, but most especially between political leaders and communities, in order to rebuild the trust that has been lost.

We pledge to support the closing statement of the Governance Commission:
"The full potential of Stoke-on-Trent's future will
only be realised by the shared commitment of
every citizen supporting visionary leadership
by the elected Council"

Supported by the following organisations:
Social Media CIC. Recommendations
Haywood Area Voice of the Community (HAVOC). Response.

Background:
Social Media CIC is a social enterprise operating in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. It publishes Local Edition, a free newspaper that seeks to improve information and communication in Northern Stoke-on-Trent. Social Media's recommendations:
http://socialmediauk.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/recommendations-for-the-council-to-rebuild-engagement-from-social-media-cic/
HAVOC is a community group working to give a voice to communities in the Haywood area of Stoke-on-Trent. It has run two successful campaigns to prevent the closure of Haywood High School and Dimensions and has recently been invited to join the council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee. HAVOC's response: http://www.havocinstoke.org.uk/governancecommission.html