Forum:Local forum idea for sustainable communities

According to a recent BBC news story, E-mail school reports considered, 28 December 2006, the government is considering more use of new technology to increase parental involvement in education.

Options being considered include
 * more frequent progress reports to parents from schools
 * discussion for the local community to engage in how schools are run

The attractions (to government) include
 * seeing if technology can be used  to engage the 'harder-to-reach parents'
 * finding new ways of engaging working people in what is happening to their kids during school time.

But hold on a minute, why isn't anyone promoting these ideas for sustainable (whole) communities?

Why not
 * more frequent progress reports from local decision makers to local communities
 * discussion for the local community to engage in local decision making, sustainable communities and quality of life
 * seeing if technology can be used  to engage the 'harder-to-reach' (from across the whole community)
 * finding new ways of engaging working people in what is happening to their local communities (of residence)?

During the late 1990's the government successfully encouraged the vast majority of local communities to get involved in a process called Local Agenda 21. Unfortunately this was seen as a one off and no-one in government appears to have forseen the potential of something like local quality of life forums (being sustained).

With increased awareness of climate change, peak oil, etc,, with the public seemingly sometimes ahead of the politicians on these issues, and the increased use of technology society wide, aren't local quality of life forums and idea who's time has come? And if so, is anyone in government listening? Philralph 12:01, 8 January 2007 (UTC)