Saturday, 28 June 2025

Direct citizen participation in existing democratic processes is nothing new!

Hi Tony and friends

Thanks for your email.  My reply is in blue.

YOU WROTE:
There could be mileage in your idea, and I feel it is something that should be encouraged.
Yet you would have to be able to point to an ongoing engagement with a council or similar.
It would either have to be tried at the local level where you are through your XR local group.
Direct involvement with our local Dudley Council from Halesowen Wildlife Group, Dudley Green Party and Dudley FoE has been going on, intermittently, since the 1980s.  Over the decades, from time to time, one or two of us have even been on Dudley committees as non-voting members.
Direct citizen participation in existing democratic processes is nothing new!
The only alternative would need you to become part of one of the XR UK central groups, to influence policy.
Again, you would do that only through your local group..

You should know that many individuals regularly present us with "golden bullet" and other useful ideas and our answer is always the same, if you want XR to take on your idea you have to present it to a local XR group, enact it as XR, and thereby demonstrate it is a viable idea.  It is XR that is pioneering imaginative and creative protests but it is direct engagement with existing democratic and consultative processes that is urgent for XR to take on board.  Councillors' surgeries, replies to emails and phone calls/texts in Dudley borough, where I live, are rare.
We must take advantage of our right to attend council meetings open to the public and make the most of our right to occasionally speak.  Or, to talk - just a pleasant chat - with decision makers before and after council meetings.

I also use this helpful email address:   dudleycouncilplus@dudley.gov.uk

TIM WELLER

No comments:

Post a Comment