Last week, Dunfermline took another confident stride toward becoming a beacon of democratic innovation in Scotland. On Tuesday, Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee visited the Abbeyview Community Hub to meet with local councillors, Fife Council officers, and our team at ERS Scotland to hear firsthand how this is happening. At the heart of this progress is the Dunfermline New City Assembly, a pilot Citizens’ Assembly designed to give residents a real say in shaping the future of their city.

The Minister’s visit was more than symbolic—it was a recognition of the growing momentum behind community-led decision-making. As he put it:

“Empowering local communities to play a greater role in key decisions in their area is vital to increasing democratic engagement.”

We couldn’t agree more.

A new model for local power

Citizens’ Assemblies are not just talking shops. When done right, they offer a structured, inclusive space for people to deliberate on the issues that matter most—housing, transport, climate, local services—and to propose real solutions. The Dunfermline pilot is part of a broader Scottish Government commitment to community empowerment and democratic renewal, and we hope will provide loads of learning on how to upgrade local democracy so that peoples hopes and fears are heard and responded to.  This could be a crucial technique in helping people to run their own place and so rebuild trust in democracy.

At ERS Scotland, we’ve been working closely with Fife Council and local partners to ensure the Assembly reflects the diversity and lived experience of Dunfermline’s residents. That means outreach, listening, and co-designing the process with the community as well as using the tried and tested method of ‘Sortition’ to ensure those on the assembly are a good representative sample of Dunfermline as a whole and includes voices that are too often unheard.

As I said during the Minister’s visit:

“The opportunity to have the people who live here address how the growth and change of their city can best serve them is a nationally important test of how to make democracy work for everyone.”

What Happens Next?

Over the last year we’ve been laying the groundwork – raising awareness that this is happening, beginning to explain to the community how the assembly will work, what might be possible and what might not be, designing the Assembly’s structure, identifying key themes, and ensuring inclusive participation.

In October, a letter will go out to tens of thousands of Dunfermline households asking them if they would like to take part, those that are interested will be put into a structured lottery designed so that we will be able to invite a representative group of residents to take part in the Assembly,  it will convene over three weekends in January and February 2026. These lucky selected citizens will all receive an honorarium payment for their public service.
It will be a chance for a representative group of Dunfermline citizens to deliberate, reflect, and propose recommendations to the City of Dunfermline Area Committee. It’s democracy in action—local, participatory, and rooted in lived experience.

Join the Movement

If you live in Dunfermline or care about the future of local democracy, we invite you to sign the Dunfermline Declaration. It’s a simple but powerful way to show your support for a more participatory and community-led approach to decision-making.

As Cllr James Calder, Chair of Dunfermline Area Committee, put it:

“Dunfermline New City Assembly will give residents a real voice in shaping the future of our city.”

This, it is becoming true and clear to see, is what will give people a renewed confidence and support for democratic local governance. We know how important this is and are determined to make it a success.

Find out more about the Dunfermline New City Assembly

Find out more

At the ERS, we’ve long campaigned for more involvement of citizens in the decisions that affect them. For politics to work for people like us, it needs to include people like us.

Too often, public debate collapses into argument and division. But it doesn’t have to be this way, we can have more productive ‘deliberative’ discussions.

Deliberation is long and careful discussion crafted towards making a decision. Deliberative meetings emphasise the importance of reflection and informed discussion in decision-making. We want things like this to become embedded into policy-making through the use of Citizens Assemblies: we’ve even helped to run two.

So what exactly are they, and what are the benefits of using them?

In simple terms, a Citizens’ Assembly is a group of people put together like a jury, who have been brought together to think about an important policy issue, with a view to make a final recommendation to policy-makers.

They bring together people from our community – teachers, doctors, scientists, shopkeepers, friends and family members, with checks in place to ensure that the group is a representative cross-section of society as a whole.

The assembly will be presented with all the evidence in order to learn together about the issue in question, before engaging in the deliberative process: a process of discussing and reflecting on the information they have learned, and how it might have shaped their thoughts on the policy matter.

The recommendations that Citizens’ Assemblies make are not binding, but rather act as a public compass in parliament, making sure decisions on key issues go in a direction that favours people like us, rather than politicians and their parties.

Learn more about what goes on in a Citizens’ Assembly

How do you participate in a Citizens’ Assembly?

Just like a jury, you can’t just volunteer to take part! This isn’t about a group of the ‘usual suspects’.

Most of us are familiar with the fact that juries are put together through a lottery. Participants are chosen for citizens assemblies in a similar way, however unlike jury service, attendance is not mandatory.

Are they truly representative?

Commendably, when citizens assemblies are done right, they’ll bring together a genuinely representative group of people.

The process – which is a type of ‘sortition’ –  is designed to counteract under-represented groups’ barriers to participation, and to ensure that groups who are less likely to accept the invitation to attend will still be represented. Furthermore, participants are paid to attend, making economic concerns less of an obstacle.

This means that people from all walks of life will be able to have a say on the policy issue in question – not just the people with the loudest voices, or the most spare time.

What are the benefits of citizens assemblies?

Citizens assemblies are beneficial for a number of reasons.

For a start, because they are designed to be highly representative, they provide an opportunity for ordinary citizens to become more involved in politics. This means that people who might be too busy to get involved locally, and who may otherwise have been less likely to get involved in politics, will have a say. That is undoubtedly a win for democracy.

It’s also been argued that citizens assemblies, when they’re done right, might be a useful vehicle for driving up trust in politics. Given that, at the time of writing, the electorate’s trust in Britain’s system of government is at a record low, this potential benefit can only be a good thing.

Citizens’ Assemblies are also uniquely positioned to help resolve complex or polarising policy issues that lack a clear ‘correct’ answer – such as approaching the climate crisis, or assisted dying. For example, in 2020, Climate Assembly UK brought together over one hundred citizens to discuss how the UK should meet net zero targets. And in 2018, Ireland held a Citizens’ Assembly on abortion, which helped to shape policy on a divisive topic.

Following the 2024 General Election, the new government needs a clear insight into public opinion – opinion which has been shaped by key information and a thoughtful deliberative process. Citizens’ Assemblies are just the vehicle for this.

Let us know your thoughts on Citizens’ Assemblies

This morning it was revealed in The Times that Sue Gray, Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff and former leading Civil Servant, is considering the use of Citizens’ Assemblies.

Gray made the comments by referring to their successful use in Ireland to break deadlocks on divisive issues and political impasses.

So, what is a Citizens’ Assembly and how would they improve our democracy?

What is a Citizens’ Assembly and what do they do?

Citizens’ Assemblies are not a new concept and have actually been used in and around the UK for some time, including two, on brexit and regional devolution, which were supported by us here at the ERS.

Citizens’ Assemblies are usually made up of a representative group of people, put together like a jury, with a clear task to achieve by the end of it. The most well-known Citizens’ Assemblies were set up under the ‘Irish Convention on the Constitution’ between 2012 and 2014. They considered eight proposals which included allowing same-sex marriage and removing blasphemy as an offence under the Irish constitution.

A Citizens’ Assembly will have a set time limit to consider the proposals or plans, which will include hearing and learning of evidence from experts during the ‘deliberation stage’. In this stage, they have the opportunity to debate all sides of the argument and will reach more nuanced and informed positions on an issue as a result.

The conclusion of the Citizens’ Assembly will usually be to advise the Government on the direction that the general public would like them to take when deciding policy on whatever issue is concerned. Their conclusions are usually not binding on the Government of the day but are a way for politicians to really listen to the general public’s opinions and concerns.

Why isn’t Parliament enough?

Some argue that the House of Commons is a Citizens’ Assembly, as our MPs are elected by us, the Citizens, to represent our interests and legislate accordingly.

However, that isn’t quite accurate. A Citizens’ Assembly is not formed via elections like the House of Commons but put together like a Jury.

Thanks to this, participants in a Citizens’ Assembly aren’t bound by loyalty to political parties so they can make decisions and change their minds after hearing evidence. They can’t be pressured by a party with promises of future jobs, so can form a nuanced opinion freely.

On top of this, Citizens’ Assemblies are designed to include a more representative group of people. Members are typically paid for their time, and as they don’t meet every working day and have the freedom to choose their meeting times, those who have caring duties or busy professional lives are more likely to be able to participate.

Having to stand for election costs the average candidate £11,000 of their own money, putting a huge barrier in the way of a fully representative Parliament. Citizens’ Assemblies allow normal people the chance to get involved.

Would this improve trust in politics?

We know that trust in politics and politicians is low. YouGov polling shows that almost half of the population don’t trust our electoral system to deliver a result reflective of the British public’s views and over half don’t have confidence in the House of Commons, full stop.

We need to open the way for Citizens’ Assemblies and for further public participation in our democracy. To increase trust, voters need to see themselves in those making decisions. We don’t need to look any further than jury trials to see this principle working in action.

Trust is also a two-way street – if politicians want us to trust them, they should also trust our judgement and consider our opinions in a more direct way.

Public support is the firmest foundation for a policy. If the public is more directly involved in shaping the solutions to emotive and divisive issues, that solution will not only stand the test of time, but will dramatically improve the public’s trust in the government’s ability to deliver.

This is a way to make politics work better for us all, politicians and people.

Share your thoughts: Should we use Citizens’ Assemblies more?

Yes, democracy means more than voting →

At ERS Scotland we are constantly monitoring the political seas and updating our course to make sure we have the proper heading. Following this year’s local elections, the elections to the Scottish Parliament in 2021, and Westminster in 2019, we wanted to give an idea of what we are looking to achieve in the coming years.

The constitutional question continues to shape the nature of Scottish politics. But, Scotland is also distinct from other parts of the United Kingdom in terms of how its democracy functions. While Westminster is elected through First Past the Post, the Scottish Parliament uses proportional representation and local elections have used the Single Transferrable Vote (STV) system since 2007.

In relative terms, Scotland is making progress when it comes to electoral reform. Indeed, we are working with our Welsh colleagues to use Scotland’s experience of STV as an example to aid their campaigning, including with a series of films to be released soon.

Yet much more can, and must, be achieved when it comes to building a Scottish democracy fit for the challenges of the 21^st Century.

Reforming Local Democracy

ERS Scotland has been working hard to put the reform of local democracy at the heart of this discussion. Our research team, alongside Sir John Curtice, are bringing together an analysis of the 2022 council elections to look at turnout, the geographical distribution of votes and more. We have organised both locally and nationally to bring communities and stakeholders together to help design what a revamped Scottish local government might look like. With the Local Democracy Bill due to make its way through Holyrood in this parliamentary session, there is a chance to make bold, and radical, changes.

Such an approach not only has the potential to empower localities, but can play a role in rebuilding communities across Scotland. Our recent pamphlet, By Us and For Us, explores this in more detail.

Those communities have, of course, endured a pandemic since the start of 2021. Despite the great difficulties, it has also been a time when people have come together to support one another. Mutual aid teams, the delivery of meals to the most vulnerable and the sense of solidarity that emerged has generated new advocates for a truly local democracy that can be responsive to national, or even global, crises.

Part of our focus going forward is to bring these people together with groups and organisations, including political parties, into a strong network who are supportive of local democratic reform. That work has been developing over a period of years, and as we move forward the aim is to re-energise and broaden this coalition.

We hope this will lead to higher levels of engagement in future local elections. New democratic innovations, such as the Citizens’ Assembly, should become an accepted part of local government structures. In doing so, this might rebuild trust in institutions and increase engagement between citizens and their local democracy. In that spirit we are working to create models to experiment with new forms of local democracy. By piloting our ideas in practice, we can bring our ideas to life, and through this process inspire real change.

At a national level, we were on the Institutionalising Participatory Democracy Working Group which recommends how change can be delivered to make Scotland’s democracy more participative and inclusive. It’s proposed next steps incorporate processes for participatory and deliberative democracy into the democratic system. We will work to ensure these recommendations are listened to and implemented.

Scottish Lobbying Transparency

In addition to this, ERS Scotland looks forward to continuing work with our partners in the Scottish Alliance on Lobbying Transparency. Here we will provide supporting research and information on questions arising around lobbying and the Scottish Parliament. This includes working with the Chair and members of the Scrutiny Committee to make recommendations to parliament for strengthening lobbying regulation and legislation.

As our recent poll showed, lobbying through party donors has been one factor in eroding confidence in our institutions. Regulations that make the lobbying system more transparent are one way to ensure all organisations and individuals behave in a way that has public trust at the centre. ERS Scotland are committed to working with others across the political spectrum to ensure that political decision making is transparent, and that citizens are as educated as possible on these matters.

Inaugural ERS Scotland Lecture

We are also looking forward to some new initiatives that will, we hope, become part of the political furniture in Scotland. One of these will be to launch our inaugural “State of Scottish Democracy” lecture later this year. This annual event will be addressed by academics, policymakers and experts to provide interesting and thoughtful analysis of the contemporary challenges facing Scottish democracy. We hope this will be a valuable contribution to Scottish public life and become recognised as an important event in the political calendar.

In short, there is much to do. Having a clear strategy about how we can best meet our objectives is, of course, vital. We hope this short blog will give you a flavour of our thinking, and our ambitions, for the remainder of 2022 and beyond.

You can support the work of ERS Scotland by joining the Electoral Reform Society

Join the ERS today

Democracy is the right for people to decide how the place where they live is run. But too few people now believe that this right is being honoured, too few believe that they decide and too many believe they are powerless.

That Scotland’s local democracy needs to be renewed is a fact agreed upon by parties and campaigners from right across the political spectrum. ERS Scotland, often as part of the Our Democracy coalition, has long been working toward a local democracy for Scotland worthy of the name ‘local’. For the next stage of this work, in advance of this year’s Scottish council elections, ERS Scotland director Willie Sullivan and James Mitchell, professor of public policy at the University of Edinburgh, co-authored a pamphlet By us and for us: How Scottish local democracy can build and strengthen community.

This pamphlet sets out a vision of how we can revive local democracy in Scotland. Informed by what people have told ERS Scotland about how they want to participate in their local democracy, the authors re-imagine what a truly local, participatory and powerful democracy could look like. The pamphlet builds on deep research and work with voters in Scotland about ways to meaningfully involve them in the vital decisions that affect them and their communities. There is also concerning new polling that suggests people feel less and less that they have meaningful influence over the decisions that affect them – 1 in 5 people in Scotland think party donors are the most influential force when it comes to shaping public policy.

Given we are living in a time when people are becoming more divided politically and socially, Sullivan and Mitchell identify that continuing with the current status quo carries many more risks for democracy than even big changes. The systems of governance we have in place are not good enough for enough of us, and are not up to the challenges and complexity of the 21^st century. In line with the Declaration on Local Democracy as agreed at the Democracy21 conference, any upgrading of these systems must involve citizens and communities themselves.

The onus is now on communities and political leaders to change the momentum and nurture democratic initiatives and institutions that connect people and give them a sense of empowerment. This can take a number of forms, such as selecting people by sortition to sit on citizens assemblies where they debate local policy in depth and feed into local councils’ decision-making. These short roles would be paid and people selected in a way that represented all sections of the community. In time, these and other democratic bodies and initiatives could create a ‘honeycomb’ of democratic layers that give communities a continued and meaningful say over the decisions that affect them.

We have learned the lesson of our last hundred years; it is not enough that the future is built, it must be built for us. We must now learn a lesson for our next hundred years; it is not enough that the future is built for us, it must be built by us. We call for a new democracy which is ready to help us build for a hundred years to come.

Read the new pamphlet, By Us and For Us

Opposition MPs have tabled amendments on reforming our voting system that would improve our elections for voters across the country.

On Monday the government’s elections bill returns to the House of Commons. Along with other campaigners, experts and civil society groups and the Democracy Defence Coalition, we’ve been campaigning hard against this damaging legislation.

Far from improving our democracy, this bill would weaken it. Plans for mandatory voter ID will make it hard for ordinary people to cast their vote and, for those without the required ID, could see many turned away form polling stations on election day.

The bill also gives ministers new powers to set the direction of the work of the Electoral Commission. Our independent elections watchdog must be just that, independent. Plan to give ministers power over its work represents a huge conflict of interest with those same MPs whose elections the Commission is tasked with regulating will now have power over its work.

What’s more the bill now includes new provisions – snuck in during the committee stage late last year to replace the preferential voting system used to elect Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners with Westminster’s broken First Past the Post system. Ministers claim this will improve accountability, but we know looking at the warping effects of FPTP elsewhere this would only serve to disempower votes and see millions of votes thrown on the scrap heap and risk unpopular candidates sneaking into office with worryingly low shares of the vote.

But as well as opposing these damaging plans opposition MPs have tabled amendments to the bill that would, if passed, actually improve elections across the UK, something that any new election law should do as a priority.

A Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform

Scottish MPs Brendan O’Hara and Patrick Grady have tabled an amendment to establish a Citizens Assembly on Electoral Systems – a deliberative forum to examine new, improved electoral systems for the UK.

The assembly would look at alternative systems to replace First Past the Post prioritising improving voter engagement and understanding, electoral integrity and fairness and proportionality.

We know that First Past the Post is failing voters, there’s a reason why in Scotland, Wales and even in some elections in England – that any new positions created have been elected by preferential and proportional systems like the Additional Members System or Supplementary Vote.

Proportional Representation for Westminster

Another key amendment is from Liberal Democrat Alastair Carmichael and the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas to introduce proportional representation for Westminster elections.

As we’ve long argued PR for the House of Commons is the only way to deliver a representative parliament and fairer politics – the way to ensure that all votes have their voices heard and all views are represented.

An end to winner takes all politics where governments rule with absolute power on unearned majorities needs to end.

If MPs want to pass a bill that would genuinely improve elections in the UK they should support these amendments instead of supporting the divisive and damaging proposals that ministers have put forward in the bill.

Monday is a chance for MPs from all parties to show that they support a fairer more representative politics – we urge them all to take it.

In the run up to the COP26 climate change conference, a coalition of leading democracy organisations joined together on a campaign to put strong democracy at the heart of any response. The campaign’s message was clear; we cannot tackle climate change without changing the ways we are governed. If we want to decarbonise, we must democratise. 

80% of people understand the climate crisis to be a global emergency caused by human activity (Ipsos Mori), yet our ability to hold politicians to account is constrained by a voting system that we use roughly once every 4 years. If we want to ensure climate action we need to redesign our democracy. Working collaboratively, Compass, the Electoral Reform Society, Make Votes Matter, Sortition Foundation and Unlock Democracy launched a joint petition demanding a binding Citizens’ Assembly that would bring together people from all walks of life to redesign British democracy from the bottom up. 

Citizens’ Assemblies bring together a representative group of the public, to listen to experts, discuss their views and decide on action. By addressing the out of date democratic system across the UK, we can build a democracy that is fit to tackle the emergencies of today.

This wasn’t just an online campaign though, on the global Day of Action we took our message to the streets of Glasgow and London. We talked to hundreds of people, distributed (eco-printed) leaflets and hosted an event in the heart of Glasgow, spreading the message that to solve the climate crisis we must change our democracy from the ground up. The response from the people we spoke to was that they’re fed up with political inaction on climate change, losing faith in the democratic system and want reforms that hold politicians to account and deliver a sustainable and just change for people and the planet. 

The lesson is clear, if we want to save the planet we must transform democracy. Only by doing this can we make our voices heard, avert disaster and have a just transition to sustainable societies.  

Phil Connor, Electoral Reform Society Scotland
Will Stringer, Sortition Foundation

Sign the petition to Democratise to Decarbonise

The pandemic has given us a fresh insight into what we already knew about Scotland’s communities; people will sacrifice their time and resources to aid their neighbours. But that sense of community cannot be taken for granted. That is why now, more than ever, we need to revitalise and remake our local democracy.

If democracy is about anything it is about us running our own affairs. That’s why this Holyrood election, as part of the Our Democracy coalition, we are calling for parties to enshrine a principle of local community power. By signing up to the Declaration on Local Democracy you can send a message that we must move power from distant cities and dusty chambers and into our neighbourhoods.

Scotland has some of the largest, most distant councils in Europe and we want genuine local democracy to be on the agenda this election. Following recent calls from the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland to let people decide how they are governed locally, Our Democracy are calling for new powers for local communities to set up Citizens’ Assemblies, to regularly hold their councils to account – not just at election time.

ERS Scotland recently commissioned polling and it confirms that while our communities have the confidence and commitment to be fully involved in rebuilding coming out of the pandemic, they are currently being denied that ability by structures that get in the way of local initiative. Over two thirds of people surveyed feel they have little or no influence over decisions that affect their local community. But 80% of respondents think that citizens’ assemblies could be effective in deciding on local community priorities, and half that number would be willing to give up sizable amounts of time for free to help make decisions on issues that affect their local area.

This polling shows why we need to make sure communities are at the heart of a people-powered recovery. Communities coming together to make decisions for themselves not only makes for better decisions but these very acts strengthen the bonds of care and support. This is ‘strength training’ for Scotland’s democratic muscle. Strong, supportive, democratic communities are the only foundation on which to rebuild Scotland – A Future Built By Us And For Us.

Sign the Declaration on Local Democracy

This community could be about to change how communities in Wales help decide on climate policy.

In just a few days time Wales will host its very first Climate Assembly. It could be a game-changer in providing a model for how Wales sets policy on climate change in the future. 

The event, held in Blaenau Gwent, and organised with the help of ERS Cymru, will see local residents gather online to discuss, deliberate and make recommendations to tackle climate change in their local area. But this isn’t just any online event.

The Assembly is made up of 50 randomly selected and demographically representative local residents. 10,000 invite letters were sent out in January, representing a third of all households in the local authority area. From those that responded, demographic information was collected including things like gender, ethnicity, the type of housing people lived in and their interest in climate change. All that allowed the Sortition Foundation to find participants who together broadly represent the local community. 

Although a first for Wales, assemblies like this are commonplace internationally with Canada, France and the Republic of Ireland amongst the growing list of countries to have held these deliberative exercises. We’ve also seen a rise in climate focussed Assemblies here in the UK, bringing ordinary people together to help find solutions to one of the world’s biggest crises. 

The Climate Assembly UK is currently being followed by Scotland’s Climate Assembly as well as many more local examples, such as Adur and Worthing Climate Assembly and Leeds’ Climate Change Citizens’ Jury, demonstrating the value of holding assemblies like these within a specific area. 

For Blaenau Gwent, the Climate Assembly is a step towards involving people living in the community more in conversations about climate change, fairness and the future of their local area. 

On Tuesday 2 March these 50 residents will gather for the first time to hear experts, discuss and deliberate. They will meet twice more with the assembly running over two weekends in March before making recommendations to answer the question:

“What should we do in Blaenau Gwent to tackle the climate crisis in a way that is fair and improves living standards for everyone?”

These recommendations will not sit in the draw – major organisations working in Blaenau Gwent will get them and start taking them forward. 

One example of this is through a collaboration of the four housing associations in the area, providing housing for nearly a quarter of local residents, who are currently working together to retrofit their housing stock, an approach to decarbonising homes. The recommendations that come out of the assembly will be directly fed into this work, presented to the chief executives and boards of each housing association in mid-April. 

Another is through the local Public Service Board, which is made up of public services working in Blaenau Gwent, such as the local authority, local health board, fire and rescue services and Natural Resources Wales. Their Climate Mitigation group has been closely involved as plans for this assembly are developed and they will consider the recommendations as part of their climate strategy. 

What is already clear about this climate assembly is the cross-sector collaboration it has led to between anchor institutions in the area, the local authority, Welsh Government and the third sector. We estimate that we have well over 50 people volunteering their time to get this project off the ground, from those setting up the assembly, those helping to support participants to use technology, facilitators who will be on hand to assist members in their discussions and of course a huge number of speakers. These will include government ministers, academics, practitioners and residents in the local community. 

In other words, this assembly has real clout and major backing – and could set a powerful example for the rest of the country in drawing up policies backed by communities themselves. 

As the first session of the assembly approaches and our 50 assembly members gather for the first time, it’s hard not to feel optimistic that this can represent a step-change in how we have critical conversations around climate change in our communities and better involve those living in the area. 

While this may be Wales’ first Climate Assembly, it will surely not be the last. 

Support work like this in Wales by joining the ERS today

A coalition of civil society organisations and community groups is calling on MSPs to implement the findings of the landmark Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland, as Holyrood debates the Assembly’s findings on Thursday.

Electoral Reform Society Scotland has organised a joint letter from nearly 20 community groups and campaigners from across the country, calling for citizens to be involved in decision-making in their areas outside of election time.

The Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland – 100 people picked to be broadly representative of the country – showed we can lead the way in building a stronger, more community-led democracy. And it showed citizens themselves can shape the path forward for Scotland after this pandemic.

But MSPs must do more than debate the findings – they must take forward proposals to boost scrutiny and transparency, and open up decision-making to local communities.

From new local assemblies (as set out by the ERS here), to a House of Citizens scrutinising legislation, politicians can start to share power and ensure that as we come out of this crisis, everyone has a stake in shaping what comes next.

It’s clear that people want a clearer say in shaping their areas, and we need to see a vision for local democracy taken forward by MSPs that captures this.

Amazingly despite the pandemic, the Citizens’ Assembly was able to continue and make really powerful, creative recommendations for moving politics outside of town halls and into communities.

The report must not be marked ‘job done’ – it’s a blueprint for a renewed Scotland, drawing on all this country’s experience.

See our full joint letter, published in the Scotsman today:

Joint letter: MSPs – It’s time for Holyrood to trust in communities across Scotland by backing the Citizens’ Assembly

This Thursday, MSPs meet to discuss the findings of Scotland’s ground-breaking Citizens’ Assembly, a democratic process reflecting the diversity of the country. The Assembly brought everyday citizens together to debate the big issues facing us, and its calls deserve all our attention.

The 60 proposals for Scotland’s future provide a template for more accountable ways of doing politics here: for democracy to be genuinely local, grassroots, and not just an event every five years. Assembly members of all backgrounds were clear that more needs to be done in Scotland to move power out of Holyrood and into local communities.

The Assembly overwhelmingly recommended – with 90% support – establishing community-based citizens’ assemblies as we come out of the current crisis, a recommendation we wholeheartedly endorse. These would hold councils to account between elections and let residents shape their place’s future. 

Communities themselves have the best knowledge of the skills and experience within their areas, and must be at the heart of paving a positive way out of this pandemic. People need more involvement in plotting a socially just recovery. The appetite is there: now they need resources and real support.

Over the past few years ERS Scotland and the Our Democracy coalition have worked with communities across Scotland – including some of the most left behind areas  – and the message we’ve heard time and again is that people want a clearer say, not just during elections. 

We urge all parties to listen to the Assembly, and people across Scotland, and do something brave: share power, and give everyone a stronger stake in deciding what comes next.

1. Willie Sullivan, Director, ERS Scotland
2. Dr Oliver Escobar, Co-Director, What Works Scotland
3. Amanda Burgauer, Common Weal and Our Democracy Coalition 
4. Stacey Felgate & Rhona Dougall, Organisers, The People’s Council (Argyll)
5. Dr Craig Dalzell, Head of Policy & Research, Common Weal
6. Fiona Garven, Director, Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), incorporating the Community Health Exchange (CHEX) and PB Scotland
7. Matt Baker. Orchestrator, The Stove Network (Dumfries)
8. James Robertson, Campaigns Manager, Sortition Foundation
9. Abigale Neate Wilson, Project Manager, Agile City CIC
10. Planning Democracy
11. Angus Hardie, Director, Scottish Community Alliance
12. Glasgow Tool Library
13. Democratic Society
14. Dr Gemma Bone Dodds, WEAll Scotland Trustee
15. Lewis McLachlan, Founder of Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts. CIC
16. Martin Avila, Director, Kinning Park Complex
17. Professor Richard Kerley
18. Pauline Grandison, Programme Manager, Coalfields Regeneration Trust
19. Enid Trevett, Kincardine Community Association Ltd

The relevant section of the CA report is called ‘How decisions are taken’. Members thought government scrutiny and citizen-led decision making were so key to Scotland’s future, with these calls making up almost a quarter of all the recommendations.

Of the 14 recommendations on scrutiny and citizens’ involvement, the majority got 90% agreement, with the full range being from low 80s to the high 90s. That means they all achieved a broad consensus in their backing from the representative assembly.

Members also found that Holyrood is opaque and unaccountable, which might chime with a growing sense that power in Holyrood is too centralised.

It’s time to transform Scottish democracy and put citizens at the centre.

Sign our petition calling for a House of Citizens