[Campaignforrealdemocracy] CRD update from southwark and lewisham

[James Holland]

since my last update i've attended a few local forum/assembly events, a few
other things and been doing some thinking.

these existing structures are actually surprisingly fruitful but the there a
few things they need to start on the journey towards democracy

1) more people involved (especially young people)
2) more regular meetings including sub groups on different issues
3) ability to discuss 'big issues' that they may not currently have much
influence over (but that which they might find a way to influence)
4) geographical sub areas - council wards are still WAY bigger than a
community - Telegraph hill is a classic example, the honour oak estate end
is so different / distant from the leafy telegraph hill proper part.
5) they are almost totally focussed on giving money to discrete projects
that ask for it, the ones i've been to are more like board meetings of a
grant making trust, listening to pitches from charities for project
funding.  i think it's key that they start to decide to DO things
themselves, possibly using their budgets to do them. but even better do
things that don't need any money at all 'we will spend next saturday
clearing a patch of waste ground' 'each of us will knock on the door of
someone locally who we know can't get out of the house and ask if we can
help them' etc

also, on personal level, creating real democracy can't just be about
building intellectually satisfying democratic structures - it has to be
about getting your hands dirty in the community, getting to know people and
making a contribution, and in fact its a community spirit that is more
important than the exact detail of the structures that govern it.

-







On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 11:35 AM, James Holland <james at dogmanet.org> wrote:

> I think my strategy is to push the current set ups, untill they either
> start to breakthrough and work well or the council put the brakes on (the
> most likely result!) - either way you've got a platform to go further.
>
> i've been to one TT brockley meeting, and i will continue to be involved i
> think.
>
> hopefully i'll have chance to meet up with you, either at a meeting or
> outside, at the moment i'm still in the research phase - trying to work out
> whats going on.. however i'm quite enthusiastic about the nunhead area
> becoming something of 'beacon' (as it's already going quite well) at the
> same time as trying to stir something in a few other areas (particularly new
> cross / telegraph hill)
>
> my phone number is 07905 685 906 please let mek now if there's any events
> or peole you think i should particulalry know about
>
>
>
> james holland
>
> On Oct 12, 2009 7:00 PM, "Matthew Scott" <
> Matt at communitysectorcoalition.org.uk> wrote:
>
>  Hi James
>
>
>
> I live in Brockley SE4; I have avoided my local assembly to date, only
> because I have had extensive interaction with the council at the local
> strategic partnership level and neighbourhood management level – however I
> know many of the lead officers from my days when I was a community
> development worker working across Lewisham for a community led network (i.e.
> not working for the council).  I agree to an extent that they can be
> influenced, but there’s a lot of paranoia about rival mainstream political
> parties – tories, lib dems etc doing just that so the idea that community
> activists can get in there probably needs to be tempered.  I like the
> transition town thing because it is more genuinely local people led – from
> my perspective anything that is council led is going to end in
> disappointment at some point so the ideal is to bypass them where possible
> and make demands from a position of strength and equality.  Real democracy
> can never (ever) be council mediated, managed democracy.  I have many
> contacts in both Lewisham and Southwark so happy to link up if there is any
> stuff needs doing
>
>   Matt     Matthew Scott   CSC Director   020 7336 9461   Work mobile:
> 07827 258411   ...
>  ------------------------------
>
> *From:* martyn2345 at googlemail.com [mailto:martyn2345 at googlemail.com] *On
> Behalf Of *James Holland
> *Sent:* 12 October 2009 13:30
> *To:* Matthew Scott
> *Cc:* campaignforrealdemocracy at lists.aktivix.org;
> project2012 at googlegroups.com; Mark Barrett
>
> Subject: Re: [Campaignforrealdemocracy] campaign real democracy - actually
> starting to campaign!
>
>   yes, thanks for that the forums are different in different places  - in
> lewisham they're calle...
>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>
> James Holland
>
>   This message has been scanned by vsl mailsafe
>
>


-- 




James Holland
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.aktivix.org/pipermail/campaignforrealdemocracy/attachments/20091021/869edfb5/attachment.htm>