Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

Please put this event in your diaries, which is being sponsored by Public Affairs Cymru.

Sorted: Civic lotteries and the future of public participation

Tuesday 23rd September, 6.30pm-8.00pm in Room to be confirmed at Ty Hywel or the Senedd, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay

Public Affairs Cymru is supporting a different type of event in the National Assembly when we come back from summer recess and it’s one for anyone interested in civic engagement. We are supporting Bethan Jenkins AM in publicising the work of Peter MacLeod, a cutting edge examiner of public participation. The following day Peter is in London launching a pamphlet called “Sorted: Civic lotteries and the future of public participation”.

Inspired by Canada’s first Citizens’ Assemblies, in 2007 he founded MASS LBP to extend this model and reinvent public consultation. MASS LBP is based in Toronto with staff in Vancouver, Ottawa and London, UK. In 2001, he created The Planning Desk, an innovative studio for public systems design that produced a series of high-profile projects to improve the character, quality and efficacy of citizen-state interactions. A fellow at the Centre for the Study of Democracy, Queen’s University, he writes and speaks frequently on the citizen’s experience of the state, the importance of public imagination and the future of responsible government. He is completing his doctorate in political sociology at the London School of Economics, and is the 2008 recipient of the Public Policy Forum’s prestigious Young Leaders Award.

The Learning Outcomes for PAC members attending this event would be:

• A greater understanding of alternative models of citizen engagement in politics and campaigning.
• Up-to-date appreciation of the role of citizens assemblies and civic lotteries.
• Ideas for better grassroots campaigning/involvement in order to deliver success, better reflect member concerns, and better engage with politicians.
• An excellent opportunity to network as the invitees will include Assembly Members and journalists as well as PAC members.

To register your attendance at this event, please contact PAC Events Officer Alex McMillan on AlexMcmillan@publicaffairscymru.org

I met Peter while at the British Council Transatlantic Network event in Berlin this year, and he is a great speaker, so don’t miss out!

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Plis rhowch y digwyddiad yma sy’n cael ei noddi gan Public Affairs Cymru.

“Sorted”: Loteriau Dinasyddion a dyfodol chyfranogaeth y cyhoedd

Dydd Mawrth 23 Medi, 6.30pm-8.00pm Ystafell I’w gadarnhau yn nail ai Ty Hywel neu’r Senedd, Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru, Bae Caerdydd

Mae Public Affairs Cymru yn cefnogi digwyddiad tra wahanol yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol pan ddewn nol ar yr haf, ac mae’n un wedi anelu at aelodau gyda diddordeb mewn cyfranogaeth y cyhoedd. Rydym yn cefnogi Bethan Jenkins AC i hyrwyddo gwaith Peter MacLeod, ymchwilydd blaengar ym maes cyfranogaeth sifig. Y diwrnod canlynol bydd Peter yn Llundain yn lawnsio pamffled o’r enw “”Sorted”: Loteriau Dinasyddion a dyfodol chyfranogaeth y cyhoedd”.

Wedi ei tarddio ar Cynulliadau y Dinasyddion cyntaf Canada, yn 2007 sefydlodd MASS LBP i ehangu model yma ac ail-wampio ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus. Mae MASS LBP yn gwiethio o Toronto gyda staff yn Vancouver, Ottawa a London, DU. Yn 2001, sefydlodd The Planning Desk, stiwdio datblygu sustemau cyhoeddus sydd wedi cyflawni nifer o prosiectau uchel eu parch, er mwyn gwella cymeriad, safon ac effeithlonrwydd cyfathrebu rhwng y wladwriaeth a’r dinesydd. Fel Cymrodor yn y Centre for the Study of Democracy, Queen’s University, mae’n ysgrifennu a siarad yn gyson ar profiad y dinesydd yn y wladwriaeth, pwysigrwydd dychymyg cyhoeddus, a dyfodol llywodraeth cyfrifol. Mae wrthi ar hyn o bryd yn cwblhau ei PhD ar gymdeithaseg gwleidyddol yn Ysgol Economaidd Llundain, ac ef oedd ennillydd Gwobr Arweinwyr Ifanc 2008 gan y Fforwm Bolisi Cyhoeddus.

Canlyniadau Dysgu i Aelodau PAC trwy mynychu byddai:

• Gwybodaeth am fodelau gwahanol o hymrwymiad dinasyddion yng ngwleidyddiaeth ac ymgyrchu.
• Gwell deallusrwydd o waith cynulliadau dinasyddion mewn loteri sifig.
• Syniadau am wella ymgyrchoedd trwy tynnu pobl i mewn ar y lefel gwaelod er mwyn llwyddo, mynegi syniadau’n well, a gwell cyfathrebu gyda gwleidyddion.
• Cyfle arbennig I rwydweithio gan fydd y gynulleidfa’n cynnwys Aelodau Cynulliad a newyddiadurwyr yn ogystal ac aelodau PAC.

I gadarnhau eich body yn mynychu y digwyddiad, cysylltwch a Swyddog Digwyddiadau PAC Alex McMillan ar AlexMcmillan@publicaffairscymru.org

Fe wnes i gwrdd a Peter tra’n cymryd rhan yn y ‘ Transatlantic Network’ sy’n cael ei rhedeg gan y Cyngor Prydeinig, ac mae e’n siaradwr gwych felly peidiwch a cholli allan!

The Scotsman today reports that the newly elected leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland may consider supporting the concept of a multi-opinion referendum on Independence for Scotland. It seems that Tavish Scott has moved his opinion from opposing such a referendum prior to the leadership campaign to indicating that ‘I am not intuitively against making sure that people have a choice and an opportunity to cast a vote on these thing’. For a party that prides itself in promoting decisions made by party members, supporting a referendum should be a given ( we certainly know all about that here in Wales!) yet Tavish Scott has been wary to support any Independence referendum until now. The SNP run Scottish Parliament press team reacted in a predictably confident fashion to Scott’s apparent u-turn by stating:

‘”We had Wobbly Wendy, and now we have Twisting Tavish. Tavish Scott was previously known for his hard line opposition to a referendum, and now we look forward to him upholding Liberal Democrat principles and supporting the Scottish Government’s referendum bill in 2010.”

This does look more encouraging for the SNP government in terms of their ability to initiate a referendum of such a kind as a minority administration at Holyrood. The success of the SNP in the polls has spiralled- leaving the Unionists perplexed as to where to take the constitutional debate. It is a sure sign as to why such parties are at least considering co-operation with regards the referendum debate.

Alex Salmond will no doubt keep a keen eye on the maneuverings of the new Lib dem leader in Scotland. Scott on the other hand will try and learn from Labour in Scotland’s mistake, and pray that his stance on the referendum will not factor at all in any possible loss of his position as leader.