Local action isn't that easy or the complete answer
5th December 2005, 6:34 pm
About time we picked up a posting from other blogs we keep an eye on. At Kevin Harris’ neighbourhood blog:
Reporting on discussions at a recent seminar on neighbourhood governance organised by The Young Foundation with CDF and Bassac, he looks at a key question of “Do we need unity of voice – consensus – for neighbourhood governance?” Plus more - see quote below.
Neighbourhoods: Community, consensus, and neighbourhood governance
How far the ODPM and the Home Office can push their expectations of voluntary activity?. Rose Ardron, from Sheffield NDC, said:
“I do two days a week on this and I get tired. My colleagues who are also volunteers, get tired. People aren’t breaking down the doors to get involved in local forums.”
A colleague was telling me recently about a local activist who does 76 hours of volunteering per week: he’s seriously ill. Of another it was noted recently, that to be an activist in your own street is exhausting. I just don’t get the impression that this factor has featured much in what has been thus far an overwhelmingly top-down debate.