United Nations Public Service Awards Case Studies

I am nominating the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) within the United Kingdom for their pioneering work on local e-democracy and e-participation, which involves a number of ground breaking projects and programmes. Their work is much more encompassing than any single initiative because uniquely they are actually creating a new concept to drive forward the wider policy programme.

To do this, the DCLG works closely with local communities and organisations, elected representatives, political parties, local municipal councils and others to develop and enhance an interactive and inclusive approach to representative democracy that is flexible enough to meet the demands of all communities.

This collaborative and unique approach is highly refreshing for local authorities (like mine) who are responsible for delivering front line services. For the first time we have top down and bottom up consultation contributing to policy development leading to stronger governance where everyone can be represented.

For example, in Swindon, we had the opportunity to both participate in e-voting using a multi-channel approach which met with widespread international acclaim, and in a DCLG funded national project to develop a new and innovative way of engaging local people in the democratic process.

The ‘Micro Democracy’ project tested in Swindon is a new and previously untried way of engaging and consulting with people electronically based on their demographics. The process provided timely feedback to participants on consultation and is an important additional channel for dialogue between local people and the Council.

Around 1,000 local citizens volunteered to participate in the project alongside other electronic consultation methods which is highly encouraging compared to traditional methods.

This is just one tool amongst many that have been developed by DCLG to truly benefit citizens and Local Authorities alike. Other examples will be drawn upon throughout this application.

Due to the success of the DCLG’s initiative their work on e-participation and e-democracy is world renown. Many countries have expressed an interest in using the UK as an innovative, highly mature model which they can adapt to meet their own policy approach/needs in this area.

What is the initiative about? (the solution)
The DCLG, formerly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, is at the forefront of the UK’s activities to modernise the representative process using e-democracy and e-participation techniques. A series of Government funded projects have led to increased innovation and implementation of new policies, products and learning, specifically designed to support and enhance representative democracy. DCLG is a leader in this field ensuring local authorities have freedom, resource and support to look at e-democracy and e-participation in a way which meets the needs and demands of citizens. Activity has been facilitated and implemented in a three way partnership between citizens, local elected representatives and the government (central and local). This interaction is key to developing productive, and inclusive and tools, products, guidance and learning. The achievements include the development of over a hundred new products and ideas in the area of local e-democracy and e-participation. Products produced and being used include a national database of elected representatives, blogging and vlogging by civic leaders with full training, citizenship games with learning modules, e-consultation, e-forums and e-petitioning engines, a database of what elected politicians are doing in terms of activities, votes, speeches, their declaration of interests in the public record, and many more including online community radio, web broadcasting and voluntary/community service platforms which have free hosting and content management. Perhaps more significantly has been the decision to promote open source software wherever possible so that products can be taken up, adapted and rolled out effectively. These tools are demonstrating new ways of engaging citizens and connecting with those previously disenfranchised from the existing processes. The DCLG also give support and funding to international bodies and institutions looking at taking forward work in this new field. Recipients of this support include the Council of Europe and the OASIS technical committee who produced the technical guidelines for e-voting interoperability across the world. This led to the implementation of the world’s first ever binding elections using a multi-channel approach of the internet, telephone, mobile phone SMS, interactive digital television, electronic counting, non-geographic specific polling stations. In order to promote International learning and knowledge sharing, the DCLG co-sponsored and organised the 2006 International Symposium on e-Participation and Local e-Democracy held in Budapest and Baltimore. The event attracted over 500 delegates from 50 countries. In the evaluation that subsequently took place, 95% of respondents said that the conference proceedings had made a difference to their daily work or own implementation plans. Out of this event a new organisation has been born with DCLG support and backing - the International Centre of Excellence for Local eDemocracy (ICELE) - which aims to take forward this evolving agenda. The DCLG achievements have helped the United Kingdom to be recognised as the world’s number one in global surveys and awards such as: 1) United Nations e-Participation Index as part of the e-Government Global Readiness Report in 2004, 2005 and 2006, 2) World Economic Forum report of 2006, and 3) European Awards for e-Democracy.

Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
In 2002, the UK Government launched a consultation paper on e-democracy which divided the issue of democracy into two separate but interlinked areas. The first was e-participation and the second was e-voting. At the same time the UK Government embarked on a wide encompassing programme of local e-Government launched by the Prime Minister with the primary aim of 100% e-enablement of all local services provided by local municipal authorities in England by December 2005. As well as achieving the SR2004 Public Service Agreement objective of, “assisting local government to achieve 100% capability in electronic delivery of priority services by 2005, in ways that customers will use". As part of this programme, an allocation of funding was made to explore how local authorities could develop products which could help encourage citizen and community engagement and enhance local democracy. The first work undertaken was an analysis of the infrastructure and service provision using ICT by Local Authorities. This was carried out to ensure future policy was mapped accordingly. In the same year the first extensive piloting using a variety of electronic mechanisms was undertaken on an ad hoc basis. In 2003, the first extensive use of multi-channel e-voting occurred in binding electoral modernisation pilots covering millions of electors. In-depth research was undertaken on providing a baseline for e-democracy at a local level and what aims and objectives should be considered in relation to any such national policy. In 2004, the Local e-Democracy National Project was established to take forward the work on facilitating local e-democracy by local authorities in partnership with citizens, communities and elected representatives. The first use of mass voting in a single election (Euro election) using remote voting was also undertaken. In 2005 the first products produced by the national project came into use at a local level. DCLG sponsored the creation of several products through the e-Innovations fund looking at accountability and transparency. By 2006, the products, learning and development were being used extensively and were mapped against Priority Outcomes designed to allow central government to map local government delivery and performance. This demonstrates for the first time significant take up of systems e.g. website management, which facilitate two way processes of involvement by citizens in their communities. The products and knowledge that came about as a result of all the programmes relating to e-democracy and e-participation are now being implemented at local, regional and national level. A successful International Symposium on e-Participation and Local e-Democracy was established overseas and the International Centre for Local eDemocracy was created. Furthermore, the UK through DCLG is leading on the research activity and rapporteur functions of the newly established Council of Europe Ad Hoc Committee on e-Democracy. The programme closed in April 2006, but the DCLG has shown continued commitment to e-democracy and e-participation by funding the establishment of the International Centre for Local eDemocracy, which takes forward many of the outcomes from the various projects produced under the local e-government programme.

Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
a. What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The UK Government’s 2002 consultation paper on e-democracy, In the Service of Democracy divided the issue of e-democracy into two separate but interlinked areas: e-participation and e-voting. One of the main reasons for this new policy dimension was the decreasing turnout at elections and the need to address requirements for the democratic process to match developments elsewhere using ICT. The first element of electronic participation (e-participation) in local democratic engagement was addressed primarily via the Local e-Democracy National Project, which received initial financial support of $10 million as part of the Government’s Local eGovernment programme. In addition there were a number of initiatives and products produced to support community engagement through other projects sponsored from the same funding source. These included the e-Innovations programme which was about encouraging innovation in local government, and exploring innovative approaches to Improving the quality of services; Delivering efficiency; Joined up working; and Community engagement. The subsequent products, services, tools and learning produced by these projects has either transferred or is in the process of being transferred to local authorities to continue the management of their take up. This includes a new development, the International Centre of Excellence for Local eDemocracy which will take forward many of the tools, ideas and developments championed in this area.

b. What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
As part of a two way approach to Local e-Democracy through e-particiaption and e-voting, two clear lines developed to formulate the way forward. Local e-Participation was taken forward primarily by the Local e-Democracy National Project, which was established in 2004. Its board comprised representatives of business, academia, central and local government. The National Project sought to explore how new technologies could change the way in which Council engage and work with their citizens and communities. In approaching the issue of local e-Democracy, the National Project sought to primarily • Facilitate and enhance existing forms of representative democracy • Energise the democratic and political life of Government, citizens and communities at the local level The Project sought to offer new channels for encouraging participation and strengthening the bonds between elected Councillors, council officers and the citizens they serve. By using new ideas and tools local e-Democracy can help Councillors in their roles of oversight, scrutiny and representation. It could also help council officers inform citizens, gather their views and feed back into service delivery. Finally it could enable citizens and communities to organise and campaign and play a fuller role in civil society. To fully understand the concept of local e-Democracy the Project posed five questions: 1. What is e-democracy and what will make it successful and sustainable? 2. How can councils better interact with their citizens? 3. How can communities better engage with their councils? 4. What is the current state of play in e-democracy? 5. How can we make this relevant and useful for all Local Authorities? In answering these questions, surveys and academic research was commissioned to map the current state of e-democracy activity in the UK, the barriers to e-democracy and the progress local authorities have made, and could make, in this area. The project then sought to embark on developing and piloting a selection of the tools for engaging communities, citizens, councils and councillors. These included webcasts, blogs, text alerts, e-panels, e-consultation, committee information systems, online surgeries and community forums. It produced best practice guides, exemplar materials, case studies and software specifications to help a councils select approaches that would work for them. e-Voting was developed using a framework of suppliers, nurtured by Government policy in this area, which sought to embrace partnership working on standards for technology, security, accessibility, functionality and interoperability. Partnerships were then extended to local authorities to undertake binding local elections (of various size from 10 thousand to 7 million) using the technology provided on a no-risk basis funded by the DCLG.

c. What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
The strategy around e-participation and e-democracy was designed to meet a series of targets set nationally by both the Government and by the DCLG for local government. Firstly there was the target of e-enablement of local services by December 2005. Secondly, there were subsequent targets set for delivery within the context of e-democracy. These included an e-enabled general election to be held sometime after 2006 and a strategy to achieve this and specific targets set for local authorities in respect of democratic engagement with citizens thereby leading to better performance assessment and the resulting benefits such as better financial freedoms for future projects. This policy process is still evolving but there is now the ability for local authorities to legally undertake activities to promote better community engagement and consultation and to apply to undertake electronic elections of any description. As part of the joint working with other bodies internationally, the DCLG supports and funds much of the work (researchers and rapporteurs) of the Council of Europe’s Ad Hoc Committee on e-Democracy which is taking forward e-democracy within the Council. The DCLG has also given a commitment to further support a future International Symposium on e-participation and e-Democracy to be held in late 2007.

d. What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
The UK Government recently published a Local Government White Paper (a document prior to becoming law following parliamentary discussion) which looks at the development of many of the initiatives for empowered communities in more detail. Clear developments include the gradual cultural change that is occurring with elected representatives becoming more like advocates of their community to the elected institution rather than the reverse. There have also been clear improvements in transparency and adoption of new techniques to map traditional methodology to ICT methodology. An example is on decision making and the information that might be used to formulate any such decision or the process of proper deliberative consultation rather than tick box processes of one way engagement with communities. In areas where adoption of new e-democratic or e-participatory methods has occurred, there has not been a decrease in election turnout and some areas have experienced a positive effect. Similarly those politicians that adopted a process of using ICT to engage and be more representative seemingly. The International Centre of Excellence for Local eDemocracy has been established. This will seek to build on the successful symposium and allow DCLG to harness international bodies working on the same issues about citizen centric government. ICELE is a sustainable UK based centre with strong international backing from e-Democracy experts in the public, private and non-governmental sectors. The Centre is designed to serve as a ‘virtual’ point for collaborative e-democracy initiatives both in the UK and abroad. Within the UK, local authorities, community and citizens can use the centre’s world leading online resources to help strengthen neighbourhoods and advance active citizenship. Internationally governments, academic institutions and not for profit organisations can use the centre’s virtual facilities’ as a first point of call for information about pioneering e-democracy initiatives. ICELE will also, where possible, provide consultancy, training and product innovation to support citizen-centred democratic engagement.

Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
The products and learning developed by the DCLG have resulted in the development of new ways for consultation with citizens, clear policy development for the empowerment of communities and the beginning of a cultural change politically for acceptance of the modernisation of representative democracy in a positive manner. Many of the products initially developed now have self-sustainability either as individual products or as ideas behind a raft of subsequent products which have permeated through into society. By establishing ICELE, and by contributing to the work of various national and international bodies, DCLG is seeking to ensure that there is sustainability for the future and that synergies are able to be identified at an early stage to enable early co-operation and collaboration with others. The ethos of using ICT to enhance the decision making process is now manageable and undergoing a smooth transition process thanks to implementation of the policy around ICT and democratic engagement. The act of realising this very early on has enabled the facilitation of future policy making in a partnership with all stakeholders and it to be moulded to match citizen’s requirements and to build in future flexibility in respect of future functionality. This is a far better approach than the reactive processes more commonly associated with Governments and democracy.

What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
It is still too early to talk of a revolution in the way Government engages with citizens in the UK. However, the pace of implementation, certainly of the more straightforward tools, is growing rapidly. The most frequently used tools are the straight forward information dissemination and online comments and complaints schemes. Online surveys are also popular. While other tools such as online surgeries, web casting, blogs, citizens and support for online community forums remain minority interests those people that are using them are often passionately enthusiastic. The DCLG aim is to continue to support the spread of basic eDemocracy tools, while encouraging and evaluating more innovative practice. Another very encouraging feature of UK e-Democracy is the active involvement of community organisations and individuals building new tools or supporting local initiatives. In particular, MySociety has developed with very little public sector funding a really exciting range of participation tools. This approach which is collaborative with the State, but independent of it, is as important to the long term success of eDemocracy as it is to the ongoing health of democracy. The full evaluation of the work of the DCLG in this area is still being undertaken. Some products have worked and others have not been so successful particularly where there is reluctance for local authorities to use them or promote them. In this respect more could have been done to encourage them through use of statutory powers or demonstrable key linkages to wider policy. The key lesson is to aim high but to set the target for success at a reasonable and attainable level whilst being flexible enough to accommodate localisation elements, ICT improvement and scope for promoting a concept rather than a particular product or productisation.


Institution Name:		Department for Communities and Local Government
Institution Type:		Government Department
Contact Person:		Dylan Jeffrey
Title:		Programme Director: Local e-Democracy
Telephone/ Fax:		+44-207-944-3216
Institution's / Project's Website:		+44-207-944-4994
E-mail:		dylan.jeffrey@communities.gsi.gov.uk
Address:		Zone 3/C6, Eland House, Bressenden Place
Postal Code:		SW1E 5DU
City:		London
State/Province:
Country:		United Kingdom

The Problem

Solution and Key Benefits

Actors and Stakeholders

(a) Strategies

(b) Implementation

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

(d) Use of Resources

Sustainability and Transferability

Lessons Learned

Contact Information