A Democratic Devolution: Manchester’s civic innovation landscape

Manchester is a hive of civic innovation — here we outline just some of the citizen-led initiatives that are changing the shape of the city.

The People’s Plan

Launched in October 2016, ‘The People’s Plan’ is an independent citizens’ initiative which seeks to amplify the voices of Greater Manchester’s people and civil society in the devolution agenda, and to provide constructive challenge to the city-region’s strategic and decision making processes.

Through a combination of collaborative events held across the city-region and an online ‘Citizens Survey’, the project has gathered views and feedback on a broad spectrum of issues including the economy, environment, sustainable food, climate change and social justice, from a wide and diverse sample of over 1000 GM residents. Responses are currently being collated and analysed ahead of further events and publication in the coming months.

Jam & Justice

Jam & Justice is a three-year research project (2016–2019) funded by the ESRC Urban Transformation programme. It aims to seize the opportunity provided by devolution to look at alternative ways to govern in our city-regions. ‘Jam’ is about trying to bring together different partners to address shared problems. ‘Justice’ is about reconnecting with those who are usually left out from the search for solutions.

Focussing activity initially in Greater Manchester (but working with the national Core Cities voluntary sector group, national government departments and Mistra Urban Futures as an international partner), an Action Research Cooperative has been co-created under the auspices of the project, which brings together academic, voluntary and public sector partners with fifteen citizen participants, and which runs a series of co-produced research projects. The Jam & Justice programme also includes a series of interactive workshops, open evenings, social events and a wraparound social media campaign.

DivaManc

DivaManc exists to grow women’s voice, participation and power in Greater Manchester and in the devolution process. It seeks to support women in all corners of GM to recognise how devolution relates to their day-to-day lives, to help shape the devolution agenda, to be active GM citizens, to amplify, applaud, accelerate and scale up the great ideas and work of women across GM, and to dare to dream of a GM and devolution that works better for women.

“DivaManc was set up in response to the ‘stale, pale, male’ image of GM devolution, and a narrative that focusses on big buildings, big business and the interests of a few”, explains founder Eve Holt. “Over the past nine months, we have set out to build a more representative voice, and to refocus the devolution agenda on the needs and wishes of all the people that live, work, study and care across the city-region. Everyone is welcome, and welcomed, at DivaManc events, although the majority of events have been women-only in response to contributor feedback. We have worked with communities and friends from across GM including BME groups, the LGBTI community, and refugee and asylum organisations, and have co-produced a number of pledges around gender representation and equality and have taken these to our Mayoral candidates. So far, only one candidate has formally signed up to the pledge, but we are working to get the other candidates to sign, or to explain why they won’t”.

Young Citizen’s Assembly

Youth political engagement is an important issue for many people. The Democratic Devolution project’s Young Citizen’s Assembly has brought together over 100 young people between 14 and 18 years old (representing schools, colleges, community youth groups, local authority youth councils and University Student Unions from across Greater Manchester), with a selection of key political and civic stakeholders in a series of interactive workshops and discussions aimed at generating new ideas about the future of the GM city-region.

Harriet Andrews, Director of The Politics Project and Councillor Beth Knowles, who together co-founded the initiative alongside Professor Andy Mycock from the University of Huddersfield explained that their aim was to bring together young people from all ten Greater Manchester local authorities to voice their opinions and ideas on what Devolution can mean for them.

Young people were being left out of the debate and decision making around Devolution almost entirely, and in a wider sense, there were very few people challenging messaging around young people being apathetic about politics and their community. This project is open to anyone under 21 in Greater Manchester, and there is as equal representation as possible from across the 10 boroughs, which brings its own diversity. The initiative has produced a report presenting key findings and setting out a manifesto co-created by young Great Mancunians. While 85% of the young people involved expressed a keen interest in politics, only 26% said they knew about devolution to GM. It was important to ensure all of the Mayoral candidates had access to these messages and the report to inform their manifestos. It’s altered their consciousness around young people’s engagement in Devolution.

The Manchester Homelessness Charter

This is the city’s new, collaborative approach to tackling homelessness. It has been co-created by people experiencing homelessness, working alongside the organisations which provide support to overcome their challenges. The creation of the Charter has brought together local homelessness charities and service providers, Street Support (a central online hub for homelessness in UK cities), Manchester City Council, city leaders, faith groups, businesses, Greater Manchester emergency services, health bodies, charities and voluntary groups. The Charter sets out a number of rights and values regarding how people experiencing homelessness should be treated and calls for individuals and organisations who agree to adopt the charter values to make a committed pledge to an action which demonstrates their support.

‘Co-production and partnership working is the keystone of everything we do’, says Viv Slack, co-founder of Street Support. ‘That was written into the charter from the beginning of the project. Co-production recognises that relationships are just as valuable as outcomes. Over 90 people with lived experience of homelessness have been involved in the Charter so far, as well as professionals from charities, grassroots groups, the council, NHS and other services.

The barriers are largely practical — encouraging and enabling people with chaotic lives and complex needs to fully participate. We provide incentives to come to meetings including food and transport, and where possible base activities in day centres and easily accessible venues. We are continuing to build relationships with hostels and have advocates within each organisation to help us continue to reach out and increase participation’.

Manchester Shield

Founded by local citizens and seasoned campaigners Adam Prince and Loz Kaye, Manchester Shield has rapidly established itself as a high-profile and potent platform for a grassroots voice in the city’s regeneration, planning and physical development. The group act as a platform to promote, discuss and lobby local campaigns and civic concerns. The self-described ‘civic empowerment pressure movement’ has positively influenced a number of campaigns and developments across the city, including Friends of London Road Fire Station, Mayfield (via the ‘Mayfield Imaginarium’ project, profiled below) New Manchester Square, campaigning for Peel Holdings Pomona, a Manchester Music Legacies Centre and Capital&Centric’s Kampus development.

‘There is great discord in the city at the moment regarding how consultation and engagement are being handled by politicians and the vast majority of developers. Shield is working to advocate new models of engagement and consultation, valuing citizens rather than ostracising them’, says Prince.

One of those new models is heralded by the “Letters Change Manchester” campaign, spearheaded by Manchester Shield in an alliance which includes GM Housing Action and Steady State Manchester. The campaign responds to the arrival of Joanne Roney as Manchester City Council’s new Chief Executive, its first change of leadership for twenty years, and invites local residents to sign a pre-printed letter asking for a new plan to be put in place which prioritises sustainable housing, the environment, and real, meaningful dialogue.

‘A new Chief Exec is a chance for real change in this city’, says Kaye, ‘but we are asking her to be bold to solve the many deep problems we have. We need more than luxury and skyscrapers; we need a plan for everyone. We’re saying, work with Manchester residents to achieve that.’