Sun 28 March: Empowering our communities

Richard Walker -

Sunday 28 March 2021, 11am-1pm, online: register for your free ticket on Eventbrite here

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Cllr Matthew Brown, leader of Preston City Council and architect of 'the Preston model'
  • Peter Macfadyen, author of Flatpack Democracy 2.0: Power Tools for Reclaiming Local Politics
  • Ruth Hubbard, It's Our City! Sheffield
  • Matt Leach, Chief Executive, The Local Trust
  • Frances Northrop, New Economics Foundation
  • Noel Lynch, The Green Room East Finchley; former Member of the London Assembly

After a hard-fought local campaign, the Sussex town of Bexhill-on-Sea has won its own democratically elected local town council, and on 6 May 2021 the first elections will take place. This online event, organised by Civic Revival working with Democracy4Bexhill, brings together many of England’s leading advocates for, and practitioners of, local community empowerment.

By sharing information on what other places have already achieved, the aim is both to inspire the residents of Bexhill with some of the possibilities that their new local council could offer, and to inspire civic activists in places across England to embark on a similar journey.

Originally planned as a full day event at Bexhill’s iconic De La Warr Pavilion, the pandemic circumstances mean that the discussion will now take place online, and squeeze a half day’s content into two hours of rapid-fire information, insight and exchange of views.

The event will feature the launch of "Nine Principles for democratic civic leadership", which sets out principles and ambitions for genuine local democratic decision-making intended to be put before all those standing for local councillor roles at the May local elections.

Sunday 28 March 2021, 11am-1pm, online: register for your free ticket on Eventbrite here.