Local democracy and citizen involvement - Seminar – Reykjavik – the 6. of September 2010.
-
Upload
felicia-parker -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
1
Transcript of Local democracy and citizen involvement - Seminar – Reykjavik – the 6. of September 2010.
PROGRAM
• Presentation of us
• A situation report after the local government reform in Denmark
• The democracy program: Five challenges • Citizen involvement - Danish style • Democracy strategy in Gardabær
• Developing local democracy and citizen involvement - Danish cases
• Citizen involvement in Icelandic counties
The Local Government Reform
- A new public sector
o From 269 to 98 municipalities
o Average size increased from 19.000 to 55.000
o From 4577 to 2520 local politicians
o More professional and viable municipalities
o Vision: “One entry to the public sector”
o Responsible for almost all citizen directed areas
”More tasks located in the municipalities will strengthen democracy because the decisions are now made locally.
There must be made an effort to spread out democracy and involve citizens actively. The local governments of the future must find new ways to interact with citizens in the local decision making process”
- From the agreement behind the reform
The reform and (local) democracy
How did it go….? “The local government reform with its amalgamation of municipalities have
been costly for local democracy since political confidence and self confidence has fallen in local communities”
- KREVI, june 2009
” As a whole there is reason to conclude that local democracy is taken very seriously in the municipalities. The general picture appears to be a very healthy and active local democracy after the local government reform”
- Ministry of the interior status rapport on local democracy, june 2009
Who has especially been working on
developing local democracy?
- Amalgamated municipalities
- Large municipalities developed a
37 % have developed a general strategy for democracy
32 % created a special committee to develop local democracy
Which methods did they use? 74% of the municipalities involved citizens in the amalgamations
process
and the development of the new municipality
Others
Informal dialoguegroups
Citizen meetings
Local councils
Hearings of citizen groups
CRISIS!!!
Two scenarios
1. Less priority to citizen involvement
2. Citizen involvement as a tool to meet the crisis head on