🍏 Next up: an interview with #CooperationTown about local food cooperatives as a tool for organised and connected communities.

📣 In November 2024, we were part of organising #FearlessCities gathering in #Sheffield. A year on, we are reflecting and expanding on some directions for municipalism in the UK and beyond - citizens’ assemblies, mutual aid, action networks and reclaiming common spaces.

🔎 In our first offering, Steve Rushton uncovers some of the threads of anti-racist and antifascist cities.
https://researchforaction.uk/fearless-cities-against-racism-and-fascism

We'll be speaking at this (free!) conference at the London Assembly on 27th Nov, in association with Centre for Governance and Scrutiny
https://www.cfgs.org.uk/holding-mayors-to-account-the-future-of-scrutiny-in-devolved-government/ #acountability #localGov #scrutiny

A year since we released 'Councillor Experiences of Scrutiny' - our first piece of research directly looking at #councillors, identifying structures, cultures & behaviours that impede good scrutiny & proposals for change https://researchforaction.uk/report-councillor-experiences-of-scrutiny-in-local-government
#LocalGov #transparency #accountability

Read about our recent research on how to make council finances accessible: '"We believe that greater openness will ultimately facilitate better public participation and healthier local democracies." https://lgiu.org/blog-article/how-to-fix-the-accessibility-of-council-finances-for-the-good-of-local-democracies/

@PMKeeling thanks Peter, we really appreciate you sharing and your warm response!

Just finished reading another excellent report from @researchforaction , this time on the inaccessibility of council finances for, well, everyone, from the public to councillors and officers. Exhausting.

Unlike the finances, the report, like everything RfA does, is really accessible and concise.

https://researchforaction.uk/new-report-on-making-councils-financial-information-more-accessible

⁉️NEW: A guide to councils in crisis and Westminster interventions👀

Everything you ever wanted to know about councils getting taken over by the government. What’s a section 114? Who are commissioners & what do they do? What are different types of interventions?

https://researchforaction.uk/guide-local-councils-in-crisis-and-how-westminster-intervenes

#LocalGov #LocalDemocracy #CouncilsInCrisis #Accountability #Governance #Devolution #Councils

ALSO! We are currently researching Westminster interventions in councils in crisis. We are looking to talk to councillors, officers, grassroots campaigners, jounralists and trade unions in Woking, Slough and Croydon. If that's you, get in touch! #LocalGov #LocalDemocracy #CouncilsInCrisis

Govt proposal to override the democratic will of Sheffield people re council governance is really worrying. Please read this statement from It's Our City! Sheffield and co- #LocalGov #Devolution #Democracy #LocalDemocracy https://researchforaction.uk/sheffield-democracy-campaigners-respond-to-government-intention-to-overturn-their-governance-referendum

NEW BLOG: With headlines this week about possible 25% council tax rises, our guest blog by Andrew Hill asks: What happened to residents’ right to vote on ‘excessive’ council tax increases? And what does this have to do with councils in financial crisis?

https://researchforaction.uk/council-tax-rises-do-we-really-get-a-say

Do get in touch with us at info (at) researchforaction.uk if you have thoughts on this issue!

What a great weekend we had at #FearlessCities in South Yorkshire!

We drew inspiration from our friends from the @EMN from all over Europe, were fed by the Food Squad & Cooperation Towns, learned from the realities of #localgov from local councillors and campaigners, made #coop connections...

Lots to take forward in our work exploring councils in crisis.

Thanks to co-organisers Opus Independents, Citizen Network & @Steve_Rushton_

At #FearlessCities join our panel about ending privatisation.

With Keir Milburn from Abundance on public-common-partnerships, Ellie Harrison from Get Glasgow Moving on decent affordable public transport & Margot Medkour from Danielle Mitterrand Foundation on remunicipalisation.

🆓🎫https://www.fearlesscitiessy.org/

How can we build autonomy through a cooperative economy?

Hear our excellent panel of Cath Muller, Tom Stirchley from Road Co-op and Jo Taylor from Solidarity Economy Association

Fearless Cities South Yorkshire, 2-3 November

Free tickets, donations welcome here
https://www.fearlesscitiessy.org/

#FearlessCities

At Fearless Cities, 2-3 Nov, join our Saturday session exploring accountability in local govt.

From Accountability Gap to Democratic Deficit - How Do We Rebuild Trust in Local Government?

With It's Our City's Mel Stevens Centre for Governance and Scrutiny & our Gloria.

Tickets https://www.fearlesscitiessy.org/

How can citizens & #LocalGov make the best use of data?

Explore further at our #FearlessCities panel 2-3 Nov

With
Toni Ribas from Barcelona En Comu
Maria Francesca De Tullio from Naples Urban Commons
Julia Cushion From My Society,
& Simon Morrow from People's Audit,

#AI
#FOI
#DebtAudit

Tickets
https://www.fearlesscitiessy.org/

Fearless Cities is soon🔥🔥

Sheffield 2-3 November

We're organising sessions delving into #LocalGov #Coop #DebtAudit #Accountability #LocalDemocracy, #publiccommonspartnership #Municipalism #SSE #AI #FoI + much more

Tickets free, donations welcome
https://www.fearlesscitiessy.org/

Check out the program here
https://www.fearlesscitiessy.org/_files/ugd/853732_e382fb65c3af4ab0be79f7053795f93c.pdf

Important intervention by @RealCareUK on the fundamental problems with Roadmap for social care: 'This system not only leads to crisis and fosters dependency, it also makes investment in prevention impossible.' More from them soon... https://www.campaignrealcare.org/post/the-adass-roadmap-to-reform-social-care-going-nowhere

Friends and followers! We are very excited to be organising a #municipalism summit called Fearless Cities in Sheffield in November.

Registrations are now open!
https://www.fearlesscitiessy.org/

Come and share ideas about how we can build a better local democracy, reclaim commons and rethink care.

🎉 Hurry! Only 2 more days to get your proposals in for Fearless Cities in Sheffield 1-3 Nov ! Looking forward to seeing what people have got to share! https://researchforaction.uk/open-call-contributions-wanted-for-the-uks-first-fearless-cities-summit#municipalism #commons #LocalDemocracy #LocalGovernment