National and Local Initiatives
Concern at disengagement with local politics in the UK - manifested, not least, by low turnout in local elections - has led to a series of initiatives aimed at making it easier for people to become involved in local decision-making. Their success is debatable. Notable national initiatives include changes to electoral systems to allow universal postal voting on a trial basis, and the process introduced in the Local Government Act 2000 by which the public can, via petition, call for a referendum on whether there should be a local elected mayor. National regeneration funding streams, such as New Deal for Communities, require community leadership as part of their governance arrangements. At a local level, many local authorities have established "area", "ward" or "neighbourhood" committees and such like to consider more local, community based issues, sometimes with devolved budgets. The requirement placed on each local authority in England and Wales to create a Local Strategic Partnership is also intended to facilitate greater community involvement. There is also ongoing reform of the mechanisms for public and patient involvement in health issues. The Police and Justice Act 2006 and the 2006 local government white paper include processes for "Community Calls for Action", setting out statutory mechanisms by which local residents can formally bring issues of concern to the attention of their local authority and other public sector organisations.
Read more about this topic: Community Politics
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