The document discusses the need for active citizens to help shape democracy and decision making in Kirklees as the council faces less funding and changing services. It argues citizens should be treated as partners rather than customers and councils need to develop engagement with and leadership from citizens, especially young people. By taking this approach, the document says democracy can be enriched and decisions improved as representatives and citizens work collaboratively.

1. Active citizens
Jacqui Gedman
Deputy Chief Executive

2. Our Democracy Commission is
Developing democracy across Kirklees
for future generations
Helping to shape democracy
in the move towards a New Council and beyond

4. Our wider context
• Less money
• Services are changing, shrinking or stopping
• Changing political narrative
• Regional Devolution
• Move from leading and managing places to
enabling and facilitating places
• We need active citizens to survive and succeed

5. This means a changing…
• Relationship between citizens and the council
• Role for councillors AND officers
• Approach to consultation and engagement
• Approach to decision making
• Role for our citizens

6. If we want active citizens
we need to…
• Stop treating them like customers
• Get out of the way sometimes
• Take them on the engagement journey
• Work better in a networked society
• Develop young citizens
• Put councillors at the heart of the relationship

7. If we get this right we will…
• Bridge representative and participatory
democracy
• Make better and more informed decisions
• Enrich local democracy
• Get better outcomes with citizens