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Power To The People

Posted by: Nate Berg

9 July 2007 - 7:00am

The British government is working on the details of a pilot program that will create small neighborhood councils that would control public money and make decisions on various infrastructure and civic projects.

"Some councils have already been devolving budgets to neighbourhood groups, but usually it's involved only small pots of money."

"What the government's piloting now is much bigger - in the case of Sunderland, for instance, some £23 million over two years."

"What it won't involve is giving a large stash of cash to a group of local people and asking them to get on and spend it how they like."

"Ministers say it could be used to employ more police or community safety wardens in areas where anti-social behaviour is a problem."

"Or it might be used for environmental improvements - new green spaces or play areas."

Full Story: Opening the 'people's purse'
Source: BBC, July 5, 2007
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“
However, the political reality since the Ronald Reagan/Margaret Thatcher years has promoted the individual pursuit of happiness while systematically clamping down on planning—even if it means that one’s single-minded pursuit of happiness might contribute to unhappiness for themselves and others around.
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