These are some of the key findings and recommendations from the Kirklees Democracy Commission's landmark report, "Growing a stronger local democracy, from the ground up". This presentation was shared by Cllr Cathy Scott on Friday 30th June 2017 at a special event at the University of Huddersfield to celebrate the publication of our report.

1. Learning how to grow a
stronger local democracy
Cllr Cathy Scott, Commissioner

2. Active citizens in civic society
• Civic society includes community
groups, businesses, press & MPs.
• We need a life-long approach
to active citizenship.
• We are strongly aware of our
responsibility to young citizens.

3. Some of our recommendations about active citizens:
• Make Active Citizenship a shared strategic priority –
and make this the basis for a new democratic relationship.
• Create pathways to involve young citizens in civic society –
stronger links between councillors and schools, mentoring,
a young councillor apprenticeship scheme & more…

4. Local democracy in a networked society
• We all need to be part of the
conversation, to be connected.
• Citizens are not customers.
• Can we have real time democracy?
• Digital tools help ordinary citizens
to get their voices heard.

5. Some of our recommendations about networks:
• Make our democratic content valuable and relevant –
shareable, interesting and accessible for our citizens.
• Develop a democratic digital literacy pilot –
and support councillors with digital skills and confidence.

6. Councillors
• Our citizens value councillors but
don’t full understand what they do.
• Citizens want more direct contact
with their local councillors.
• It’s a changing and challenging role.
• Where are our future councillors?

7. Some of our recommendations about councillors:
• Promote the councillor role to help citizens understand –
use real life experiences to show what councillors achieve.
• Redesign the way that we support councillors –
put more focus on working with citizens in their wards.

8. Decision-making
• Conversations, not consultations.
• One size does not fit all – citizens
want to have a menu of options.
• Share the how, not just the what.
• We should say “we’re open for
business and you’re welcome”.

9. Some of our recommendations about decision-making:
• Revisit our approach to consultation, pilot new methods –
put more emphasis on timely, selective citizen engagement.
• Review our approach to the way we make decisions –
it has to be more open, engaging and citizen-focussed.

10. Elections
• Elections are an area of growth.
• Local elections are important.
• Registration is a vital first step.
• Voters want to know who their
candidates are & where they stand.
• Votes at 16.

11. Some of our recommendations about elections:
• Collaborate with schools and University on registration –
we must support young people to register to vote.
• Improve awareness and access to voter information –
share data and try out new approaches for local elections.

12. Regional devolution
• Local identity matters.
• Citizens need to know more.
• Councillors should lead the dialogue.
• We need democratic accountability.
• We need the different levels of our
democracy to connect.

13. Some of our recommendations about devolution:
• National government should provide clearer information –
about the purpose of (and processes for) devolution.
• We should address the issue of local identity –
so that we can strengthen our voice in regional devolution.

14. It’s all about what happens next
"This is the start of a long term thing.
Change doesn’t happen like magic.
We’ll have to try things to make
democracy better. Kirklees Youth
Council is here to help.”
- Kirklees Youth Councillor