Local democracy matters
In Cambridge lots of people want to get involved, whether by making comments
or complaints or by influencing Council policy. We welcome this and we
want to make it easy and attractive for people to have a voice in local
affairs.
What we've done so far
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carried out the first ever public consultation about the level of Council
Tax and how the Council should spend its budget
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introduced public speaking rights at all committees and full Council, and
a new petitions procedure
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we have set up a Freedom of Information Publication scheme, giving people
easier access to public information
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consulted young people about their priorities, with a real budget at stake
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demanded higher standards of public consultation by developers over planning
applications
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given local people more say in how services operate though the City Rangers
service and the area Tidy Teams
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drawn up a new constitution as directed by the government. We have made
sure that this constitution is as open and participative as possible within
limits set by central government
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pursued open and consultative practices in the year in areas such as Carecall
in sheltered housing, local shops, a 'bright ideas' form, a mobile phone
mast inquiry, weekly surgery at the Guildhall, ensuring that all committee
papers are available on the web, citizen's survey, postal voting forms
for everyone, a voluntary register of gifts and hospitality for councillors,
a Standards Committee to monitor councillors' conduct, a 'Be a councillor'
leaflet to foster interest in getting involved
Building on success
In the coming year:
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following extensive consultations about the decentralisation of some decision
making to area committees, we aim to bring the Council closer to local
communities and give people the power to make decisions about their neighbourhood
street cleaning and grounds maintenance, local planning applications, and
local community facilities
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we will continue to develop the Council's use of new technology to give
you easier access to the Council, for example through email polling and
development of an interactive web site
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we will continue to listen to you through the Citizens' Survey, the budget
consultation process and through the close links between councillors and
ward residents. We will make sure that our policies continue to be in line
with your priorities.
Central government is showing signs of wanting to control and constrain
local councils to an ever greater degree, reducing the value of local democracy.
Nationally and locally the Liberal Democrats oppose this trend. We are
the only party that is genuinely committed to local government, and we
will continue to demand that central government gives local councils the
freedom and resources they need to serve the public
Published by Keith Edkins on
behalf of Cambridge Liberal Democrats, both of 4 Glisson Road, Cambridge, CB1
2HD
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