Data

General Issues
Economics
Planning & Development
Specific Topics
Public Amenities
Government Spending
Collections
OECD Project on Representative Deliberative Processes
Location
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia
Scope of Influence
City/Town
Files
Canada Bay Policy Panel Recommendations
Links
Summary by newDemocracy Foundation
Start Date
End Date
Ongoing
No
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Approach
Consultation
Spectrum of Public Participation
Involve
Total Number of Participants
24
Open to All or Limited to Some?
Limited to Only Some Groups or Individuals
Recruitment Method for Limited Subset of Population
Stratified Random Sample
General Types of Methods
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Recruit or select participants
Facilitate decision-making
Specific Methods, Tools & Techniques
Deliberative Forum
Sortition
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Face-to-Face
Types of Interaction Among Participants
Discussion, Dialogue, or Deliberation
Decision Methods
Voting
If Voting
Super-Majoritarian
Communication of Insights & Outcomes
Public Report
Primary Organizer/Manager
newDemocracy
Type of Organizer/Manager
Local Government
Non-Governmental Organization
Funder
City of Canada Bay Council
Type of Funder
National Government
Staff
No
Volunteers
No

CASE

City of Canada Bay Council Policy Panel

General Issues
Economics
Planning & Development
Specific Topics
Public Amenities
Government Spending
Collections
OECD Project on Representative Deliberative Processes
Location
Sydney
New South Wales
Australia
Scope of Influence
City/Town
Files
Canada Bay Policy Panel Recommendations
Links
Summary by newDemocracy Foundation
Start Date
End Date
Ongoing
No
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Approach
Consultation
Spectrum of Public Participation
Involve
Total Number of Participants
24
Open to All or Limited to Some?
Limited to Only Some Groups or Individuals
Recruitment Method for Limited Subset of Population
Stratified Random Sample
General Types of Methods
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Recruit or select participants
Facilitate decision-making
Specific Methods, Tools & Techniques
Deliberative Forum
Sortition
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Face-to-Face
Types of Interaction Among Participants
Discussion, Dialogue, or Deliberation
Decision Methods
Voting
If Voting
Super-Majoritarian
Communication of Insights & Outcomes
Public Report
Primary Organizer/Manager
newDemocracy
Type of Organizer/Manager
Local Government
Non-Governmental Organization
Funder
City of Canada Bay Council
Type of Funder
National Government
Staff
No
Volunteers
No

The City of Canada Bay council convened a Policy Panel of 24 randomly selected citizens to make recommendations about how the council could make the most of community facilities. The policy panel followed the success of Canada Bay's first participatory budgeting in 2012.

Problems and Purpose

The policy panel of 24 citizens from Canada Bay were asked to deliberate on a narrow topic: the lease of council-owned facilities to not for profit organisations. The panel were asked to make policy recommendations about how the council can get the most from its community facilities, what rental subsidies should be offered and who should get them. 

The panel's final recommendations were to be received by the council directly, with the final decision sitting with council.

Background History and Context

The policy panel came into being following the successful Canada Bay Citizens' Panel in 2012. The Citizens' Panel was Canada Bay's first exercise in participatory budgeting. The 2012 panel deliberated on the full range and level of council services. As 12 of the panel's final recommendations related to the subsidised use of council facilities, the policy panel was conceived as a follow-up process to focus on this narrower area and guide City of Canada Bay council on which direction to take. 

Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities 

The policy panel was convened and funded by the City of Canada Bay council. It was organised and facilitated by newDemocracy Foundation, an independent, non-profit organisation who also worked with the council on the 2012 panel.

Participant Recruitment and Selection

newDemocracy Foundation recruited the final 24 panellists in a random selection process drawn from an initial sample of 4,000 Canada Bay residents. Panellists were selected to provide a descriptive representative sample of the community. 

Methods and Tools Used

Deliberative Forum

What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation

Due to the narrow topic under consideration, the policy panel took the approach of meeting numerous times over six months, but for shorter time periods. Panellists met once a month for six months from March to August 2014. A single independent facilitator was used to ensure equality of voice during the deliberations.

Decisions were made by supermajoritarian voting (80%+1), following a process of deliberation. All recommendations in the final report by the panel were arrived at through this method. 

Influence, Outcomes, and Effects

The policy panel submitted their final report comprising recommendations on fair use of council facilities on August 25th 2014. The report details eight recommendations along with a subsidy scale and eligibility criteria for organisations renting council-owned facilities. 

Analysis and Lessons Learned

Want to contribute an analysis of this initiative? Help us complete this section!

See Also

Deliberative Forum 

City of Canada Bay Council Citizens' Panel

References

External Links

 http://www.newdemocracy.com.au/ndf-work/185-city-of-canada-bay-policy-panel

http://www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au/policy-panel.html [dead link]

https://law.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1555957/MCCDemocracy2015FinalReportofERRNLGResearchGroup2.pdf 

http://www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au/news/its-your-community-have-your-say 

Notes