Hampshire Association of Local Councils - Ambassadors Event

Steven Lugg, Chief Executive of the Hampshire Association of Local Councils (www.hampshire-alc.gov.uk) , kindly invited e-mango to attend its first Local Councils Ambassadors Event at the newly opened Holiday Inn by Winchester.
There was a very interesting talk given by Professor Gerry Stoker, President of HALC, which covered many of the challenges and opportunities facing local government under the current economic climate.
The central theme covered "Localism" and the "Big Society". In a nutshell the aims are to provide the local community greater access and influence on the decision-making process through transparency of information and greater levels of engagement.
One phrase that stuck out from the evening was the humorous "Nudge, nudge, think, think." There may be a level of apathy by citizens that either feel involvement is not for them or that if they are involved then they cannot make a difference anyway. The nudge is the creative idea that can initiate citizen participation and overcome any social inertia.
The ultimate aim must be to involve the whole spectrum of people from the young to the old, and to disseminate information as far and wide as possible. One vital tool as part of the overall strategy must be using the Internet.
A well managed website that can be easily updated by council staff is essential.
Councils should use their websites to inform citizens of forthcoming events, publish the minutes of meetings, provide online surveys to garner feedback and opinions, and give transparency on financial costs and decisions made.
It was a very insightful evening and fantastic to see such committed people at the grass roots of local government and thanks again to Hampshire ALC for putting this event on.
If you are interested in seeing how an e-mango Content Management System can help your council engage efficiently and dynamically with your citizens, then please call us on 01202 755 300 for further information.

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