Participatory Democracy for Inclusive Devolution

The UK2070 Commission promotes inclusive devolution as a key element in tackling inequality in the UK, and this paper considers what it might entail. Devolution is part of the Commission’s agenda for rebalancing the economy, which involves long-term development strategy, support for foundational economies in all localities, devolved action, and coordination across the country. It is expected to go beyond simple transfer of power from the centre of government to other statutory bodies and ‘be inclusive’, for decision-making that: extends the socio-economic benefits of development to all parts of the country; and considers all of the dimensions of inequality and all communities’ concerns. So, devolution will not in itself be inclusive. Instead, it will become inclusive through specific participatory processes, which can rebalance the diverse inputs or ‘voices’ within decision-making on development in the UK. Past experience suggests governance improves with the introduction of new voices, but only when there are trusting relationships between government and citizens, and reliable processes. This think piece suggests a ‘participatory democracy’ system with locally determined mechanisms that can engage all communities, and communications that operate uniformly across the country so as to consider all places. It concludes by offering a framework for inclusive devolution with an illustrative set of participatory processes