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The Democracy Network is looking for a Network Coordinator to kick start the work of this exciting new initiative. 

Working collaboratively, the post-holder will develop and establish the Network before agreeing activities with members.

You'll need to be open, communicative and great at building relationships with a wide range of people. And of course, you'll need to be a true advocate for democracy!

Find out more and apply.

The Commission for Smart Government has called on Government to drive a far more ambitious focus of reform, in a four-step plan just published. 

The independent commissioners recommend a new Prime Minister's Department to replace the Cabinet Office and allowing the Prime Minister to appoint ministers from outside Parliament. 

Commission member Sir Ian Cheshire said, "there are huge opportunities to make government more effective through radical reform."

Read it now. 

Open the Democracy Box and you’ll find young people from across Wales exploring and developing new ways to explain the basics of our democracy. So far, there’s a podcast series, a rap series, TikTok and Insta! Coming up is a website, a YouTube Channel and a ToolKit. It’s being run by Omidaze which uses theatre and the arts to inspire social change through creativity. Scroll down to the Connect section for details of an online event this month too. 

Saturday 31 July is Make Noise for PR Day, with Make Votes Matter leading the charge. The Summer Day of Action will involve street stalls, banner drops, music, performances…anything that breaks the silence on First Past the Post and shouts the case for proportional representation! Whatever you do, use the hashtag #MakeNoiseForPR.

This new Research Centre is the brainchild of the Local Government Information Unit. The centre brings together academics and local government practitioners to generate insight, research and collaboration.

The Centre's key themes for 2021 are bridging networks and communities, devolution and territorial governance, evidence and expertise, and cities, regions and places. 

Zoom superstar Jackie Weaver has launched a petition calling for new legislation that would allow for abusive councillors to be sacked. Currently, there’s no national provision to ensure that a local councillor who abuses colleagues or constituents can be forced to step down.  The Compassion in Politics Ambassador says that with many MPs having first served on councils, the move would improve standards of behaviour in both local authorities and in Parliament. 

The Government’s published 30 actions in its Declaration on Government Reform, including moving 22,000 officials out of London, reforming civil service recruitment and – perhaps ambitiously?! – training new Government ministers. 

One to keep an eye on is Action 25 – ‘ensure all data is as open as possible to public and third parties’.