Northgate is committed to engaging in public policy debate. We welcome the opportunity to facilitate the involvement of the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in developing joint solutions to public policy problems.
Northgate supported the first New Statesman/Fellows’ Associates roundtable on Community justice: concepts and delivery. Following the success of this event, a series of regional roundtables have brought together leading politicians with senior representatives from the police, local authorities and the voluntary and private sectors. Please click the links below for more information about the debates, and to download edited transcripts.
Well-being, Cardiff
The first regional roundtable took place in Cardiff on 8th October 2004, focusing on well-being. A range of participants, including Welsh minister Jane Hutt AM and Rt Hon Alun Michael MP, examined the concept and its implementation in Wales.
At the roundtable it was agreed that citizen participation and strong leadership were required to push forward the agenda. The consensus was that the voluntary sector is slowly becoming more engaged with public service agencies and that they were learning to work together, largely due to a change in culture in the public sector.
Please click here to download the edited transcript of the debate. To download the transcript in Welsh click here.
Civil renewal, Manchester
The roundtable for the North West was held in Manchester on 15th October 2004. A range of participants including Hazel Blears MP and chief constable of Merseyside police Bernard Hogan-Howe came together to discuss issues relating to civil renewal.
All participants saw citizen participation and consultation as crucial. This needed a mature debate - one which identified opportunities and constraints and worked on the basis of a localised problem-solving approach.
Government needs to set the framework but local authorities have a potentially powerful role to play in scrutinising public services. Local elected bodies should share long-term planning with their communities and develop a shared vision around how people want to live. Please click here to download the edited transcript of the debate.
Social cohesion, Birmingham
The roundtable for the Midlands, held in Birmingham on 22nd October 2004, focused on social cohesion. The debate examined what the concept means to different groups and what their respective roles are in delivering results.
Participants including Clare Short MP, Lord Corbett, community and youth leaders and senior police and fire service representatives debated issues such as trust, multiculturalism, the role of the media and leadership. Please click here to download the edited transcript of the debate.
The 'new enforcers', Sunderland
The roundtable for the North East/Yorkshire & the Humber took place on 19th November 2004. Rt Hon Hilary Armstrong MP and a range of key opinion formers met in Sunderland to address issues relating to the ‘new enforcers’.
Participants discussed how to ensure that community justice is about entitlement and enforcement, and how to improve multi-agency working whilst educating the public and maintaining their support.
Information sharing and the communication of best practice were highlighted as key to this process. Please click here to download the edited transcript of the debate.
Quality of life, London
The roundtable for the South of England took place in London on 23rd November 2004. Rt Hon John Denham, MP for Southampton, and a range of opinion formers focused on how to move forward the quality of life agenda.
The debate examined the concept of quality of life and looked at how policy makers and implementers could take into account the complexities and the different meanings of the concept for different groups.
Leadership, co-ordination and information sharing emerged as the key issues to tackle going forward. Please click here to download the edited transcript of the debate.
The way forward in Scotland, Edinburgh
The roundtable for Scotland took place in Edinburgh on the 17th January 2005. The Minister for Justice, Cathy Jamieson, and a range of key opinion formers gathered to discuss the way forward for community justice in Scotland.
Much of the debate centred on young people, and the way their behaviour is perceived by different groups in society. It was decided that young people need concrete schemes and support that are locally available rather than constant enforcement action.
Early intervention and increasing community involvement emerged as the key issues. Please click here to download the edited transcript of the debate.
|
