Citizens' commission - Frequently asked questions
What is the cooperative council citizens' commission?
We would like Lambeth to be the first truly cooperative council in Britain. But there are a lot of questions and issues to consider first before we decide how we are going to take this idea forward and make it a reality. So that we can gather a broad range of views and opinions, we have set up a commission. The commission is a group of people who listened to all of the views put forward and used them to recommend what we should do next. We have also sought out opinions from key people including local Members of Parliament, councillors, other councils, community groups and academics. The commission conducted interviews with key people and considered all feedback before reporting how we go forward in November 2010.
Who is the cooperative council citizens' commission and how is it going to work?
The commission is made up of elected representatives and experts in public service delivery who will steer the council and the community through the process.
The commission will make sure that as many local residents as possible have their say, oversee the research and piloting stage and make sure that the many difficult questions posed in the white paper are answered.
What was the timescale of the commission?
The commission ran until September 2010 and then during October 2010 a report was put together from the findings from the commission outlining how the how project can go forward.
Are minutes from citizens' commission meetings available?
Minutes from the formal commission meetings are available on our website.
How did you engage the public in finding out how Lambeth residents feel about your proposal?
We developed a broad consultation and engagement process including focus groups and surveys with a sample of Lambeth residents that are representative of the borough’s population. We attended people’s expos and the Lambeth Country Show to speak to people about this approach and find out what they think. We produced a summary of our White Paper and a questionnaire for handing out at these events. In addition, between July 7 and July 11 2010, our staff spoke to residents in Lambeth’s town centre’s about the cooperative council approach.
How did Lambeth's community and third sector organisations taking part?
We already run dozens of services in partnership with the community and voluntary sector organisations and the cooperative council approach is about building upon that. Therefore, we have consulted with more than 500 groups and individuals for their views either in writing, or directly at a commission meeting.
Was the consultation limited to Lambeth residents?
No. What we are proposing for Lambeth has significance for all councils because we all face similar challenges. We felt it was appropriate to get the views of colleagues in local government, other public sector organisations and academics in respect of the approach we are putting forward.