Online Democracy
Citizens have their say in new online forums.Â
The communities of Brighton & Hove and the London Borough of Newham will have the chance to discuss issues online, in forums launched this week. Using the new open source e-democracy tool GroupServer, communities across the UK are invited to use this system starting in March 2005.
As part of the local E-democracy National Project, the issue-based discussions will allow citizens and officials to communicate, and in many cases set agendas, on a wide range of issues for their localities.
Local volunteers facilitate and co-ordinate the forums based on rules that encouragee substantive discussion and ensure that political doesn’t descend into personal. Volunteer facilitators consult with citizens and officials, but are independent.Â
The forums aim to empower citizens by giving them a public platform to share their experiences, points of view and questions, as well as helping local authorities provide better leadership and services by connecting with a broader base of diverse citizens.
Fraser Henderson, National Project for local E- democracy Project Officer at NorthLincsNet, told 50 Connect; "Without debate there is no community; these Issues Forums provide an important set of online deliberative tools that connect communities."
In the U.S., online Issues Forums have proven a rich source of stories and perspectives for political and media organisations, and journalist reporting helps to inform a wider cross-section of community members.
Local committees are working with the non-partisan community organisation, E-Democracy.Org, to establish a global model for local online citizen participation in the UK and beyond. Minnesota-based E-Democracy.Org has built a cost-effective volunteer-based effort that has engaged citizens for over a decade.
The forum has the potential to build community cohesion with a socially diverse local population, because there is another way for people to get involved. We believe that connvenient ‘any time, anywhere’ participation is key to the future of local democracy.
E-Democracy.Org is using new and innovative open source technology from New Zealand to host the UK forums. GroupServer allows citizens to participate via e- mail or the web by utilizing a number of emerging social networking techniques that effectively bring groups of people together online.
A pilot forum in the town of Melksham, Wiltshire plans to run through to 15 March 2005. Post-pilot efforts in Blackburn with Darwin as well as other communities are possible based on local citizen interest and formal or informal support from local authorities, community groups, and/or new media initiatives.
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