1. Local action for local trust
Civic participation and dialogue in the
governance process
Focus on PB

2. Our mission since 2007
» SALAR should support its members’ efforts to create new forms of citizens’ engagement and choice, and to integrate citizen dialogue into governing processes and public service developments. «
During the 2007 SALAR conference, the organisation’s task to support the development of citizen dialogue was strengthened and SALAR was given the following assignment:

3. Networks to improve knowledge
Our approach
In 2007 SALAR invited local authorities, county councils and regions to participate in:
Networks to improve knowledge
Networks to develop and test methods
Many signed up
180 (290) municipalities 21 (All) county councils/regions
Learn from each others
Learn and be inspired by good examples
Learn from research
Create new knowledge
Willingness to develop
SALAR inspire with examples from
Sweden and other countries
City or County Council decide to participate
Steering group of senior-/top politicians and officials
Appointed Project Manager
Project group
Project plan with budget
Commitment to do a job at home
4 – 5 meetings/year (3 years)
Assistance and support from SALAR
Evaluation - Report

4. Citizen participation with IT
A parallel project with financial support from government
Scout on the world and present ideas and examples
Develop IT-tools if necessary

5. It’s about supporting the representative democracy

6. Ladder of participation
Co-desicion
Cooperation
Dialogue
It is about using many different methods
to gain insights into the citizens’ values, and in turn giving them a better
understanding of the local authorities’ responsibilities, structure and activities.
It is about strengthening democracy and increasing efficiency through
systematic, well conducted citizen dialogue.
The experience of local authorities that have introduced citizen dialogue is that in-house preparation is necessary before the citizens are approached.
Dialogue is an interactive tool that requires preparation before, during and after its realisation. A first step might be to have a dialogue about the dialogue.
You could pose a number of questions about why citizen dialogue should be introduced, and what it means to the organisation.
Consultation
Information

8. We need balance! Democracy Actor Learning Legitimacy
Understanding priorities
Transparency
Service Operator
Provide services
Allocate resources
Quality Control
Setting standards
Eventuellt fyra syften

9. Focus on Participatory budgeting in Sweden
Four municipalities joined SALAR:s PB-network in 2008
We have had a lot of help from prof. Giovanni Alegretti at the University of Coimbra in Portugal
We have been scouting a lot: Spain, Italy, Portugal, UK, Germany, US …

10. The City of Örebro
2009
The City of Örebro - part of investment budget for traffic and environment – invited a group of pupils from three upper secondary shool to come up with proposals and to vote for a winner.
2010
The City of Örebro – another PB with pupils
Upper secondary students
Investments in
environment, traffic and
planning

11. Budgetsimulator
We were inspired by the simulators used by the City of Hamburg and Redbridge a borough in London.
We asked some young devlopers to help us create a swedish budgetsimulator.

12. The City of Haninge
2010
The City of Haninge – Invited citizens to take part in the renewal of a park in the City center
Upper secondary students
Investments in
environment, traffic and
planning

13. The city of
Uddevalla
2009
Invited all teenagers to come up with proposals for one event
2010
Invited pupils on two schools to come up with proposals to improve their school environment
Invited citizens in local areas to
decide on safety walks
2011
New invitation on safety walks in other local areas
Upper secondary students
Investments in
environment, traffic and
planning

14. Develope the school environment
Cause: develope the environment in two schools
Area: Herrestad school (ages 7-12) and Ramneröd school (ages 13-15)
Suggestions from: ages 7-15
PB voters: ages 7-15
PB volume: 2x SEK
Voting grade: 85 %
Result: playing field, outdoor classroom/amphitheatre, long jump track,
redecorated common room, new sitting furniture in the study hall
The new playing field under construction

15. Safety Walk PB Cause: safety in neighbourhood
Area: a) small village and b) city
Suggestions from: a) school class (10 y) b) all citizens
PB voters: All society
PB volume: 2 x 175t SEK
Voting grade: a) 6 % b) 3 %
Result: a) safer schoolyard b) restored bicycle/pedistran road

16. The City of Avesta Invited citizens to renew the city centre
A process in three steps
1 Where to start?
2 What shall we do?
3 Which proposal?
Upper secondary students
Investments in
environment, traffic and
planning

17. Coming up - 2011 The municipality of Orsa are planning to
Consult their citizens on the main stream budget

18. Our budgetsimulator
One of for finalists for the “Golden Link award”, a competition that rewards the most innovative Swedish e-government development in the public sector for the benefit of citizens and businesses.

19. Next or maybe another step…
Visual budget – for planning

20. Summary It takes time to build trust
We have to be sustained and focused
We need structure and resources
We can learn much from others around the world
We must dare to try
We have to use several methods
We must be transparent

21. Thank you for listening!
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