Leeds' Model of Citizen Power and Engagement

Leeds City Council (LCC) has aspirations to meaningfully engage communities in development of policies and plans and to shift power to sit with communities. A new model of engagement is required that engages a broad range of citizens and stakeholders in complex issues of change. This model should enhance deliberative capacity across the democratic system to rebalance power in change-making processes. Deliberative capacity is the ability of citizen and communities to debate and act on complex issues, and of facilitators to create the conditions for inclusive deliberation and to build cross-system coalitions to instigate change.  

There are four key challenges that must be addressed to achieve this aspiration: 

• Exploring how existing connections LCC has through its everyday work, not least Area Based Community Development (ABCD), can reach beyond those who usually engage in council consultation processes; 

• Using creative methods to engage citizens and communities with complex issues; 

• Balancing the aspirations of citizens and communities with the requirements of the Local Plan; 

• Using engagement to stimulate change both in LCC decision making and in communities themselves. 

This project will address all four challenges to build towards a Leeds Model for Citizen Power and Engagement, which will build deliberative capacity in LCC, citizens and communities, improve the effectiveness of LCC’s decision-making processes and stimulate change across the democratic system in Leeds.

Watch the project video

We will publish results and outputs on this page as we progress.