Cooper Dozier’s Post

Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) and the Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) have said they are “very encouraged” by the Government’s response to a letter sent as part of a campaign for permanent provision for local authority virtual meetings. Planning specialists Nigel Hewitson, Stephanie Hall and Chrisa Tsompani explain the impact: The 2020 lockdown required an instant response to enable local authority business to continue. Most local authorities rose to the challenge and some argued that virtual meetings encouraged greater public participation as it did not require physical attendance at council offices. Until now, both the government and the judiciary seemed out of step with the general consensus in local authorities, but this offers encouragement that change may be on the way. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eSXkbA8r #davittjonesbould #realestate #commercialproperty #planning

Hold that gavel! When it comes to conducting public meetings, it's helpful to refer to standard parliamentary procedure to help guide civil discourse. Learn more from Keystone Municipal Solutions team member David Anthony in his recent blog post. And to learn more about what KMS can do for your municipality, visit https://lnkd.in/eFJhBFJy.

Meetings can be really boring. If run efficiently, you'll have to spend less time on yapping, and more on what it is you do. Learn how to effectively manage parliamentary procedure: https://hubs.la/Q02N_36D0

An annual report is one of the most important ways a public organisation is accountable to Parliament and the public they represent. Check out our good practice guidance, in case it's helpful as you prepare your own annual report this year. #goodpracticetuesday https://lnkd.in/gFjcra9z

Lost in the noise of the General Election was last month's publication of DLUHC's updated statutory guidance on Best Value and local authority interventions. This follows a consultation that took place during the summer of 2023. Essential reading for all local authority lawyers and an opportunity to refresh and reinforce key governance principles within your organisations. #localgovernment #governance https://lnkd.in/gjaaFaYm

#NewReport | A Nine-Step Guide on How to Include Participatory and Deliberative Formats in Policymaking Rooted in the belief that citizens should be empowered to observe, understand, contribute to, monitor, and assess public decisions, participatory and deliberative policymaking processes have become increasingly central to designing government strategies and policies. However, it can prove futile or even counterproductive if conducted in an unstructured manner or merely as ‘box checking.’ Read the new report by GLOBSEC's Barbora Tomlyová: https://bit.ly/4eUeqMl

Running an efficient and supportive constituency office is no easy feat. One of the most important aspects of a constituency office is the support provided to constituents through casework. So, what is casework and how do you make sure your office provides constituents with the best possible support? https://lnkd.in/e_282MbM #GovTech #constituentservices #LocalGov #localgovernment

Just another reason to READ THE POLICY https://bit.ly/4hTwJmS #asbestos #publicadjusters #wemakeiteasier #propertyclaims #themoreyouknow

The Documenters program creates new public records, providing city dwellers full transparency at the local government level and the best that democracy can offer https://bit.ly/3B9ABza Amid a tumultuous presidential election in the US, it feels good to remind oneself that the ballot box is just one place to participate actively in democracy. The full potential of democracy occurs daily at our local public governance meetings – such as City Council sessions, Housing Commision meetings, Workforce Development meetings – where anyone can drop in and have a voice in local government. Unlike elections, public meetings are frequent and transparency is actually achievable; these things can hold the local government accountable. In 1971, the US legislature passed The Open Public Meetings Act as a part of a nationwide effort to make government affairs more accessible and therefore, in theory, more responsive. They provide the appropriate legal framework to facilitate and protect the citizen’s right to meet and collectively discuss public affairs, which in turn contribute to building transparency in local government. That is all well and good – on paper. Yes, people still love their local governments, but unfortunately their relationship is platonic; they like each other, but they barely meet. Continue reading 👉 https://bit.ly/3B9ABza

ICYMI: Last week AMCTO released new strong mayor research. In an effort to support municipalities transitioning to strong mayor powers, we tracked how powers are being used and implemented across Ontario. Findings highlight how municipalities are adapting to the legislation and the impacts to municipal governance and administration. To learn more, visit amcto.com/strong-mayors. #OnMuni #StrongMayorPowers