A Citizens Assembly made up of local residents came together at the weekend to help shape the principles for a new Blaenau Gwent Deal.
The Deal is a new way of working between Blaenau Gwent Council, residents, communities and partner organisations, with the aim of building a fairer, resilient borough, improving health and well-being and reducing inequalities.
The Citizens Assembly will determine the principles behind The Deal that will guide this new relationship and way of working to deliver the shared ambitions for the borough. This is the first of three sessions to be held over a month with randomly selected residents aged from 16 to 83, with different views and experiences.
The Council is committed to empowering communities, building on local strengths, and ensuring decisions are shaped by the people who live and work in the borough.
The participants are deliberating on key themes that underpin The Deal, including:
- Pride in where they live
- Social responsibility
- Connecting communities
- Sharing power
Through interactive sessions, the residents will consider how individuals, communities, and the Council can work collectively to meet future needs, overcome barriers, and create healthier, more connected lives. The Assembly will also focus on what empowerment looks like, how success can be measured, and practical steps to enable communities to act on the changes they want to see.
Key speakers include Council representatives; partner organisations such as health and the voluntary sector, and individuals and groups already carrying out great work in their communities.
Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council, Councillor Steve Thomas said:
“The Citizens Assembly is about listening, learning, and working together to shape a shared vision for a stronger, resilient, fairer borough. There's already fantastic work being done in our communities in Blaenau Gwent, where people come together to make a positive difference to where they live. We've been inspired by projects such as these, where residents have taken charge after identifying a need within their community, and we want to build on this by empowering and supporting more people to do the same.“
More than 250 responses to a recent online survey and ideas and views from Council staff and key stakeholders are also being used in shaping The Deal.
The Citizens Assembly is made up of residents selected by the Sortition Foundation and the Assembly is being run by Local Partnerships, the public sector delivery partner for Welsh Government and the Local Government Association.
The Blaenau Gwent Deal aligns with the Council's commitment to be Wales’s first joint Marmot Council, alongside Torfaen Council.
The agreed principles for The Deal will be considered by the Council’s Corporate Governance and Resources Scrutiny Committee following the last Assembly session.
