New from the blogs …. a great piece from Project for Public Spaces on place governance. “Stronger Citizens, Stronger Cities: Changing Governance Through a Focus on Place” states that some elements that can shape stronger places are:
- Affirmative cultures around citizen action
- Citizen agency
- Awareness of the limits of silo-driven government approaches to problem solving
Having places that are worthwhile, well cared for and well-used contributes to community wellbeing. ‘Governance is social, and citizenship is creative,’ the piece suggests. The only things standing between where we are and where we want to be are those big, thick silo walls’.
3 Features of affirmative cultures for place governance
- Mayor and senior leaders support citizen-led input and initiatives
- Governments meet people where they are and enable structured discussions
- Leaders honour citizen contributions
Rouse Hill, NSW – a vibrant community setting