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Agenda item

Notice of Motion

Coming out of the Covid-19 Crisis: A Citizens Assembly motion

 

This council notes that:

 

- The Covid-19 pandemic has shown how reliant we are on each other to get ahead, and what we can achieve when we work together. It has shown that we are all stronger when our public services are strongest.

- It has also demonstrated the importance of recognising that there is no going back to the way things were. We are entering a critical moment; we have one chance to deliver meaningful change for the greatest number of people in our city and on our shared ambition for Cardiff.

- However, we must do this with the residents of Cardiff, and not to them. All too often, in the rush to get things done since March, things aren't being done right, and residents as well as ward members are being informed rather than consulted about changes.

- Whether we agree with the aims and objectives of proposed changes or not, it cannot be right that change is implemented in such a top-down manner, which risks stoking the potential for backlash from those who feel ignored and resentful, ultimately setting the city backwards on public engagement and progressive solutions to the city's pre-Covid 19 problems.

- Citizens Assemblies are a body of citizens brought together to deliberate on issues of importance, they employ a cross section of the public to study options and propose answers through rational and reasonable discussion and through inquiry of experts, and they aim to reinstall trust in the political process by taking direct ownership of decision making.

- Citizens Assemblies are representative and inclusive, allow for increased cognitive diversity, breach the border of direct democracy and allow for deliberation.

This council calls for:

The creation of a Citizens Assembly to deliberate and provide real time feedback on the Cardiff Restart, Recover and Renew strategy in order that the proposed changes that will affect people in and around Cardiff are taken by a more representative and diverse cross section of the public, in the hope that we can reinstall trust in our political process through shared ownership of decision making, and take as many residents with us as possible as we move out of lock down, while still living under the constraints of a worldwide pandemic.

 

 

Proposed by Councillor Emma Sandrey

 

Seconded by Councillor Rhys Taylor

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

To request a document in an accessible format please e-mail us.

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