Glasgow is to set up 'citizens panels' as part of a range of measure to give people more control over decisions.
A recent council consultation found that residents felt they often found out about decisions being taken by the council after it’s too late.
Now Glasgow City Council is making efforts so people can have more control over what happens on their streets - in a process called open government.
The City Administration Committee has approved Glasgow’s Open Government Action Plan for 2021 to 2023 to make it happen.
It is part of the council’s membership of the international Open Government Partnership programme, which promotes transparency.
It vows to involve people in decisions on local services and public sector spend and has made commitments to deliver the promise.
Commitments include citizens panels to be put in place to increase ‘participatory democracy.
There is also a plan create an online space where people can share ideas for improvements - called an ‘Open Digital Engagement Platform.’
People would also be given access to neighbourhood and city wide information from an ‘open data hub’ to help shape local decision making. There will also be a commitment to increase awareness of open government through social media and other channels.
Glasgow's Open Government Partnership (OGP) local programme membership was announced on 20 October 2020.
A number of local government organisations and countries around the world are members.
Speaking at a recent City Administration Committee, SNP councillor Greg Hepburn, council business manager, said workshops had revealed “people in Glasgow want and need better access to information, which they saw as an inherent requirement for true openness, transparency, accountability and indeed participation.”
Councillor Hepburn said he believes the plan “will lead to a better governed, better listening and ever more responsive Glasgow City Council.”
He added: “It will also allow us to take on a leadership role as full members of the Open Government Partnership and as an example to other councils elsewhere in the country.”
Glasgow’s Open Government Action Plan had to be submitted to the Open Government Partnership by September 24.
