Jess Blair outlines a new opportunity for civil society to have its say on how government works in Wales
Devolution has given Wales the chance to start from scratch with a new layer of government that was intended to bring decisions closer to the people they affect.
Yet, nearly twenty years on, has it done that?
If we look at our political system it is one with minimal levels of engagement. The 45% turnout in the 2016 Assembly elections was hailed as relatively successful, you might be hard pushed to find someone walking down a local high street who could name more than one or two members of the Welsh cabinet and knowledge of what is devolved to Wales isn’t exactly universal.
Our democracy isn’t where it should be, but we do have a chance to make this better.
Open Government is a global initiative that works around three key themes; accountability, transparency and participation. As part of this each government involved produces an Open Government Action Plan every two years outlining the measures they want to take in these areas. The Welsh Government is currently putting together their 2018-2020 Action Plan and it is vital that we have a say in this.
Over the next few weeks we want to bring civil society together to generate ideas and recommendations that we can put to Welsh Government for them to consider as part of their Action Plan. Today we’ve launched a platform where you can put forward your ideas. Just add them here: https://www.discuto.io/en/consultation/32946
This is a genuine chance for your idea – big or small – of how government can be more open to become part of Welsh Government policy.
In other parts of the world Open Government has led on transformational change. From a platform that opened up all information about healthcare in Uruguay to Mongolia where people can now rate public services, to a €100m budget in Madrid which locals themselves decide how to use, Open Government has been a game changer across the world.
It’s now Wales’ chance to do something great with this and get our government working better for all of us.
This is our opportunity and we should seize it.
Photo by Alexandre Godreau on Unsplash
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Legislative devolution in Scotland and Wales has failed. Legislative devolution in Northern Ireland had already failed when it was extended to Scotland and Wales. The solution to failure is never more of the same… Especially when the same failures are running it. Less government is more – abolish these failed legislative bodies before they do any more damage.
As a 73 year old and very ordinary ‘pleb’ when can I and other people meet with CIVIL SOCIETY and discuss open government and what that means in reality!!!.I live in ordinary village in V o G,however it is being destroyed by massive lorries thundering through every 5 minutes,but small local council,ordinary people are ignored by local government/police whether open or closed!!.I suppose when an elderly person/child is killed then we might see some action.Lets be honest the powers that be in Wales that only functions through money generously provided by our next door neighbours is run by a small group in government/media that ignores the wishes of ordinary people.
Yes John. Direct rule from Westminster really is the answer to the governance of Northern Ireland. You only have to look at how hundreds of years of that particular system worked to see how that turned out. Or could it be that your selective understanding of history is based on an idealised view of the past that flies in the face of the facts that demonstrate just how brutal that particular regime was?
I’m all for open government and transparecy.
“Mr Jones is currently in Washington meeting with business leaders and politicians, and will also hold high-level talks with senior representatives of the British Embassy to express his serious concerns.”
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/first-minister-carwyn-jones-heads-14732405
https://gov.wales/newsroom/firstminister/2018/180601-wales-close-relationship-with-the-us-will-continue-despite-challenges/?lang=en
Why do we never hear of what is said at our First Ministers overseas meetings. I don’t know if Carwyn Jones is back from the USA yet, but Walesonline or any other branch of Wales’ media has not yet reported anything – not even a Welsh government press release?
Shouldn’t the Welsh people have a right to know what business leaders and foreign politicians our First Minister has been speaking to?
Open democracy starts with the First Minister does it not?