Suggested Approach: theoretically sound AND pragmatic?

The approach used to prepare the People's Plan for Nature (PPfN) was informed by specialist organisations that promote and support public participation in decision-making. It was able to provide recommendations that were representative of the views of the wider population, yet the process was completed in months not years. This provided a useful starting point for thinking about getting to a Vision for Shaftesbury (V4S). Inspired by the People's Plan for Nature, the approach described here emerged after consulting professionals in participative democracy and community development.

The suggested approach for the V4S community group & project is embodied in this website and diagrammed (in 3 phases) on the homepage.

1. Introduction: find out what this project is all about, how you can join in, and why you might want to.

2. Discovery: surveys will collect views from across the community.

3. Identify key concerns: review and analyse replies: identify key themes, questions and future challenges.

4. Plan Phase 2 process: design information, discussion and decision-making sessions that address the key questions.

5. Select Shaftesbury People's Panel: seek volunteers and from them select a Panel that is inclusive, representing this community.

6. Host Panel sessions: provide speakers representing opposing views, facilitate Panel discussions and decisions.

7. Document the outcomes: produce report on the vision, include Panel's recommendations and details of the process.

8. Promote the vision: make the report available to town & Dorset councils and others, encouraging its use.

9. Dissolution: once the vision is influencing a spread of decisions affecting the town, this group may be redundant.

The first phase (1-3 above), matches the Input stage of the process used by the PPfN. They called it a 'National Conversation'. Here are some comparisons between what they did, and what V4S may do.

PPfN: The organisations involved, RSPB, WWF-UK and the National Trust, publicised their project using their members, at a number of public venues (art centres & football clubs), through a website and social media, and through advertising.

V4S: The project will be advertised across the area being included (SP7) using Alfred Radio and New Blackmore Vale Magazine, websites & social media, larger employers, community groups, sports clubs, schools, churches and town/parish councils.

PPfN: Collected nearly 30,000 submissions in the space of a month

V4S: Aim at a high-impact 'Launch' but expect to build interest and participation over a few months. By monitoring who is joining in - by age groups or distribution across the area - V4S can identify whether a representative spread is being achieved and where extra promotion is needed. An ambitious target would be to get 5000 people contributing in some way.

PPfN: People were asked to respond to 3 questions:

1. What do you love about nature in the UK? What would you miss if it disappeared?

2. Imagine it’s 2050 and nature in the UK is thriving. What is different from now?

3. What exciting examples have you seen of people working together to restore and protect nature in the UK?

V4S: The above questions demonstrate that a simple survey can generate a lot of valuable information. V4S will need to invite comment on a number of different aspects of life in this community during the Discovery stage - but keeping the number of surveys down, with well-designed questions, each survey short and simple enough to tackle on a smartphone, and having people to test them, will be essential. Also, by using separate surveys released at intervals, V4S will be able to build and maintain interest during the time that it takes to recruit people to join in.

PPfN: Independent experts from the New Citizenship Project analysed online responses and picked out common themes.

V4S: The process is to be overseen by a project Steering Group who can seek independent advice when needed. Ideally, membership of the Steering Group will be seen to be broadly-based and non-partisan, so that the community trusts that the entire process will be managed without bias. Where possible V4S will rely on local volunteers with relevant expertise but it is also expected that some external support may need to be 'bought in'. (Willingness to volunteer support, including participation in the Steering Group, is being explored during stage 1.) At stage 3, the Steering Group will oversee the analysis of survey responses and learn about the key themes and challenges for our community's future.

The second phase (4-7 above), matches the Recommend stage of the process used by PPfN. They used what was called a People's Assembly for Nature whereas V4S is suggesting a People's Panel for Shaftesbury's Future. Again, here are comparisons between what they did and what V4S may do.

PPfN: The identified themes and their challenges informed the design of a 'People's Assembly' where 100 members of the public would spend 36 hours (over 4 non-consecutive weekends) hearing evidence, deliberating, and generating their recommendations.

V4S: The common themes and key questions will shape a 'People's Panel' process where 12-20 members of the public will spend up to 36 hours (over several weeks of evenings or half days) hearing evidence, deliberating and generating recommendations.

PPfN: The selection of Assembly members was carried out by external experts: The Sortition Foundation. They randomly selected 33,000 residents from across the UK to receive an invitation to volunteer for the Assembly (participation in which earned an honorarium of £800). 277 volunteers came forward. From these, demographic information (age, gender, education level, ethnicity, geography, subject expertise) was used to select a representative group of 110 people (to allow for some not being able to complete the process).

V4S: All those people who live in the area being covered (SP7) and opt to 'join-in' by providing their email address will receive an invitation to volunteer for the Jury. In order to encourage a spread of volunteers, V4S will make payment at national living wage hourly rates. From the volunteers, demographic information (age, gender, education level, different parts of the area) will be used to select a representative group - taking a few more than needed to allow for some who can't complete all sessions.

PPfN: Experts were employed for the Assembly design work and running of the process. An independent advisory group provided an unbiased expert perspective on the evidence and ensured that the materials were accessible. 40 experts gave wide-ranging and informative presentations on relevant issues from multiple points of view. Assembly members had support to engage with the process and access to a large database of exemplar projects from the National Conversation. The Assembly was run by expert facilitators so that members found the process accessible, and sessions ran to time.

V4S: From the very beginning (stage 1), V4S will build connections to a wide range of experts. The process for the Panel sessions needs to be supported to a high standard and some professional help will be needed. The Steering Group and Panel sessions also require access to expertise relevant to the key questions being explored. It will be a responsibility of the Steering Group to identify speakers and ensure that different perspectives are represented in a balanced way. The facilitation and recording of deliberations during Panel sessions may be something local people can do (and be paid for) if they have received some prior training; V4S will explore the possibilities. The aim is to make space for some additional people who will simply observe the process.

The third stage of our project (8&9 above) is to promote the vision in a way that does justice to the commitment and concern reflected by our community's engagement with this process. This note is being written whilst we're at stage 1: the task now facing V4S is to secure that engagement. PPfN has now been published and the lead organisations are tackling the challenge of awareness-raising.

Acknowledgements: With thanks to Rich Rippin of The Sortition Foundation who explained that for our relatively small community the approach used by PPfN was not advisable, there being other ways of getting a representative sample. It was he who referred me to Susan Ritchie of Mutual Gain who pointed us towards the use of our local demographics to select a representative 'Panel' from volunteers, and a process based on 'Panel sessions' in place of an Assembly. Susan and I had a very helpful online conversation on 27th April 2023, when she also offered to be available in future for occasional informal advice or as a sounding board without charge.

Rachel Bodle, 16th May 2023