We support genuine consultation and decision making at local level, including the control of budgets by local people. Democratic structures and processes encourage communities to develop sustainably and help them challenge economic globalisation.

Centralisation and unelected quangos have led to cynicism and less participation in elections. Mass postal voting or e-voting are not solutions and are open to fraud. We support proportional representation at all levels.

In Sheffield

The Council's powers have been reduced. Budgets are largely earmarked by the Government for specific purposes. The use of the Private Finance Initiative, Arms Length Management Organisations and private companies to build projects and provide services gives our Council less direct control.

The Council Cabinet system gives the ruling party disproportionate power. This is made worse in Sheffield by a powerful Executive and Local Strategic Partnership (Sheffield First), which sets the overall direction for the city. The twelve Area Panels have very limited budgets and powers, cover wide areas and are poorly attended.

What we have done so far:

• Put out regular newsletters and canvassed on the doorstep throughout the year in Central ward, showing how political parties can interact with people and champion the issues which concern them.
• Encouraged the public to attend Full Council and other meetings.
• Organised massive opposition to the heavy policing of the G8 visit, getting the Council to pass a motion affirming the right of citizens to peaceful protest and ensuring that the city centre was not completely closed to protestors.
• As a minority party, given a fresh perspective to debates would otherwise be battles between two parties: ruling and opposition.
• Contributed to the development of the Scrutiny system which can develop policy and review Cabinet decisions such as on affordable housing and noise nuisance.
• Supported the reconvening by opposition parties of the Modernisation Working Group, which reviews Council process. This will include the Green Party and will be a constructive way to challenge Labour's domination of the decision making process.
• Set up a forum for the 2004 intake of Councillors to share experiences; and helped get better training for Councillors to improve their effectiveness and co-operate in a non-party political way.
• Supported Local Democracy Week

As City Councillors, we will:

• Continue to support Area Panels, by attending the public meetings and Members' Briefing meetings and using them as a way of hearing and channelling local people's concerns
• Engage with the new "Neighbourhood Management” pilots but resist them becoming mini-quangos.
• Increase our efforts to discover and alert local people to planning and licensing applications, encouraging them to contribute to the consultation process.