Richard Garland is Chair of the Eastbourne Neighbourhood Board. In his Opinion piece, he talks about how residents will help decide how millions are invested in Eastbourne
“The Eastbourne Neighbourhood Board is inviting local people to become part of a new deliberative process that will place residents at the heart of future funding decisions.
Twenty-five people will be selected through a civic lottery, known as sortition, to ensure the panel reflects the town’s diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, geography and socioeconomic background.
More than 7,500 randomly selected households have already received invitations to register their interest.
Those chosen will meet over four sessions in September and October, hearing from experts, community organisations and local voices before agreeing recommendations that will help guide how future investment is prioritised.
The People’s Panel is about putting local people at the centre of decisions that affect their lives. Eastbourne is full of experiences, ideas and talent, and by bringing together a representative group of residents we can make better, fairer decisions about the future of our town. This is about building trust, listening properly and creating a new way for communities to shape the places where they live.
Unlike a traditional public consultation, the People’s Panel gives participants time to learn about the issues, question experts, hear different perspectives and work together to develop informed recommendations. The panel’s conclusions will be published and presented to the Neighbourhood Board to help shape future investment decisions.
The initiative is a part of a wider programme of community participation, with further opportunities planned over the coming years, including participatory budgeting and town-wide conversations on future priorities. Eastbourne is one of the first places across the Government’s Pride in Place Programme to use a People’s Panel in this way.
The People’s Panel is only the start. This isn’t a one-off exercise. We’re laying the foundations for a new relationship between local people and local decision-making. If we want a stronger, fairer Eastbourne, we need to build it together.