COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (151) issued by The Government News Network
on 26 June 2008
People need more
power to influence and control their local services Communities
Secretary Hazel Blears said today, as new figures show that fewer
than four in ten people feel their voices are being heard at local level.
Headline figures from the Citizenship Survey (April 2007 - March
2008) show that in the last year just 38% of respondents felt able
to influence decisions in their local area whilst only 39% of
people were involved in some kind of civic participation such as
attending a public meeting, signing a local petition or contacting
a local councillor.
The findings tally closely with data from this year's local
elections which showed average voter turnout at around 40% or
less. Taken together, the findings suggest a sense of apathy
pervading the local democratic process which is something the
Government is keen to address.
The Government wants to see greater involvement of local people
in the decision making process and greater accountability so that
when people do get involved in meetings or signing petitions they
can be sure those efforts are not wasted.
Research shows that where people have opportunities to
participate and feel they can influence decisions their
satisfaction with the local authority tends to be higher1. By
giving more people more of a say and a greater bearing on the
decisions that affect them the Government wants to bring about a
real shift in power with local people playing a bigger role
improving communities up and down the country.
The Government have already announced new measures for local
people to have a say through community kitties, a new right to a
response when people sign a petition on an issue that matters to
them and greater ownership of community assets. In the coming
weeks Hazel Blears will publish a Community Empowerment White
Paper which will go even further in giving more power to local people.
Hazel Blears said:
"Too few people feel they can influence decisions either at
a local or national level. Everyone should have a real sense of
power and control over key aspects of their life - such as
tackling crime or improving healthcare - and that means giving
people a bigger say in the decisions that affect them.
"Local people often know what the solutions to problems in
their area are - but too often we don't include them in the
process. If we want the highest quality services that really meet
people's needs then we need to find better ways of hearing
what they have to say and put communities in control of the
services that affect their lives."
Despite lower levels of civic participation, broader measures on
attitudes towards and involvement in communities captured by the
Citizenship Survey are generally very positive. The Citizenship
survey shows that:
* nearly three quarters (73%) of all adults have volunteered at
least once in the last year;
* 48 % have volunteered at least once a month;
* 82% of people think that people from different backgrounds get
on well in their local area;
* The numbers of people that feel they belong strongly to their
neighbourhood has risen from 70% in 2003 to 75% in 2008.
The third section of the Citizenship Survey reports views on
racial prejudice and discrimination. Findings include:
* a decline in the number of people from ethnic minority groups
who felt hat they would be treated worse than other races by at
least one of eight public service organisations from 38% in 2001
to 34% in 2007-082
* Less than 1 in 10 people (9%) say that racial or religious
harassment is a problem in their local area.
* 56% of people feel that there is now more racial prejudice in
Britain than five years ago.
* People from ethnic minorities (32%) are less likely than White
people (58%) to feel that there is now more racial prejudice in
Britain compared with five years ago.
Notes to Editors
1. Every year almost 15,000 people are asked their views on
issues around community cohesion, racial prejudice and
discrimination, values, civic engagement and interaction. The
biggest survey of its kind, the Citizenship Survey is one of the
key tools used by Government to inform policy development and
measure the effect of its policies.
2. The full findings from the fourth quarter of the Citizenship
Survey April 2007 - March 2008 can be found at http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/857938
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom
1. The participation/satisfaction research relates to the
Communities and Local Government (2007) Best Value User
Satisfaction Survey 2006-07: General Survey National Report,
London CLG.
2 The eight organisations looked at are the police, the prison
service, the courts, the Crown Prosecution Service, the probation
service, a council housing department or housing association, a
local GP and a local school.