Shaped by People – A new shared outcome

In Kirklees, we’re committed to changing our relationships and to becoming an enabler of citizens, not only a provider of services. Five years ago, the Kirklees Democracy Commission asked a wide range of people and organisations what our local democracy should look like for the next generation and beyond. What emerged was a clear desire to grow a stronger local democracy from the ground up, starting with citizens and their sense of local identity and belonging. In 2021, we worked with citizens from all our communities to create a new shared outcome that raises the bar for active citizenship. Shaped by People describes, in citizens’ own words, how things would be if more people felt able to influence what happens in their place.

We’ve developed our own systemic approach to citizen engagement. It is based on conversations, involves testing out practical ideas and is always focused on the experiences and insights of citizens and councillors in local places. But we recognised that our ambitions for active citizenship were not reflected in Kirklees’ shared outcomes.