Community groups
Local government has a crucial role to play in maximising crowdfunding’s potential
Jonathan Bone says maximising the opportunities available through crowdfunding will require a 'different kind of local government with a different culture, ways of working and relationship with communities’.
Building without the battles
While 2018 saw community resistance to regeneration projects, Colin Crooks believes there are some signs of optimism for the growing regeneration activity in 2019
Let’s rebuild support for our voluntary bodies
Something is not right in the state of the relationship between local government and the voluntary and community sector – yet the importance of a productive collaboration has never been greater, argues chair of NAVCA John Tizard.
Lord Bourne urges bids for Windrush Day events cash
As the MHCLG launches a £500,000 fund to support councils and community groups in putting on events to celebrate national Windrush Day Communities Minister Lord Bourne says local authorities have a powerful role to play
Say ‘no’ to municipal censorship
When grassroots activists proactively engage in the democratic process, they should be allowed to do so without municipal censorship, argues Claire Fox
Building a better sense of community
Dan Corry looks at the launch of the Government’s Civil Society Strategy and asks whether it can move us forward to create a society that works for the benefit of all communities.
Participatory budgeting 'outstanding success'
Independent research has found Dundee City Council’s participatory budgeting (PB) was an ‘outstanding success’ that should act as an inspiration to other local authorities.
We need to be using the 'C' word - conversation
We need to be talking with, not to, our communities about what would work in their places, writes Louise Round.
Empowering your residents
Authorities can empower residents by changing behaviour and enlisting support for that change when service providers and volunteers in communities come together, writes Maxine Moar.
Westminster offers advice to EU nationals
Westminster City Council will spend £50,000 next year on advice and support for the 30,000 European Union nationals it hosts.
Creating conditions for empowered communities
Cllr Clare Coghill urges councils to think before they sell off old buildings or parks. There might be members of the community with the drive and vision to transform it.
Supporting communities to deliver change
Adele Taylor asks how councils can co-operate with those in the community with the ability to deliver real change.
Community capacity and the role of the state
Most council transformation plans feature a section on ‘community capacity building,’ but what does that mean and how should it be done? Graham Duxbury explains
How do we support the next generation of community leaders?
At the moment, too much money goes to the bigger care providers. Ewan King argues we must be better at building local community-based care services.
Time to connect the disconnected
With a recent focus on the handing of powers to a collection of high profile regional mayors, Sue Baxter urges the next Governement, whichever hue it may be, to push devolution down to the grass roots.
Resetting our relationship with residents
What is the role of the state? Alex Bailey explains how Adur and Worthing councils are creating platforms upon which communities can build happy, healthy, prosperous and connected places.
We need to involve people in difficult decisions about services
Involving residents in developing, delivering and evaluating controversial proposals, such as hospital closures, from the outset can only enhance plans, argues Ewan King.
Partnerships are pivotal in the aftermath of a terror attack
John O'Brien says the investment councils put in to building partnerships to make communities safer and more cohesive are tested during and after events like the Westminster terror attack in March.
Championing the community
Cambridgeshire CC won the Excellence in Community Engagement prize at The MJ’s Local Government Excellence Awards 2016. Here’s how they did it.
Hands up for greater tenant participation
Calum Davidson explains why tenant participation should be higher on chief executives’ agendas and how injecting a lick of youthful dynamism into council workforces can help to reinvigorate communities.