Home | Your Council | Have your say | Communities in control: real people, real power

Communities in control: real people, real power

Portsmouth's 'People Power' recognised

Portsmouth's strong partnership working with local people and communities has played a crucial role in informing parts of the new government White Paper on communities launched on 9 July 2008.

Portsmouth has helped inform the White Paper by:

being a case study area on community empowerment for Communities and Local Government (CLG)
as one of 18 local authority empowerment champions
a visit to the city by civil servants responsible for writing the White Paper
Young Advisers Portsmouth (YAP) attending a consultation event in preparation of the White Paper
the authority being represented on regional and national empowerment networks
attending and being involved in the launch event in London

As one of the leading empowerment champions nominated by the government, Portsmouth is committed to giving people a real say on improving local services and promoting active citizenship.

The government’s White Paper 'Communities in Control: real people, real power' has been developed because of improvements in how councils work, as well as more local people wanting to have their say on how local services are run. Working with councils and community organisations, the government hopes it will help to put 'more communities in control'.

The White Paper recognises that change goes deeper and lasts longer when people can take control of it - rather than having it imposed on them.

David Williams, Chief Executive of Portsmouth City Council said: "We encourage community engagement because by connecting communities with the council improves local services.

"Our approach to communities empowerment is not 'one size fits all.' We have a 'menu of options' to enable local people to influence decisions that affect their lives, which is a key message in the White Paper.

"National surveys increasingly show a decline in the percentage of people who are satisfied with opportunities to have their say. In Portsmouth, I'm delighted to say that from our most recent MORI residents' survey the figure is double this at 54 per cent satisfaction."

"However, we're not complacent. We want to continue our work to create a greater sense of citizenship amongst local people, recognising the crucial role councillors have as local leaders, offering new ways to encourage involvement across all communities and in turn revitalising local democracy."

Click here for the summary of the White Paper
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/885997.pdf

Click here for the full White Paper
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/886045.pdf

Click here for the government’s response to the Councillors Commission report
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/30.pdf

Click here for the key themes of the White Paper
http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/yourcouncil/13625.html