News & Insights
Apathy – real or imagined? – Do few participants indicate a lack of interest or a lack of competence?
A few days ago, one of our Regional newspapers gleefully reported that ‘political apathy has reached a new low’. The headline said Less than 0.01% of … voters responded to a major consultation on elected mayors. Smack! Another strike for the cynics who despise public consultation!
Unfortunately, on this occasion the facts are about as depressing as can be. Even allowing for the folly of running the consultation over the summer holidays a grand total of 19 responses is appallingly low. The Council points out that it made background papers available online and also in the reception areas of Council offices and its one-stop shop. But none of this passes muster at a time when progressive authorities accept that the onus is on them to stimulate effective dialogues.
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Rhion Jones
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