Local Decisions
From Proposal to Decision: The Stages of a Local Public Choice
Follow a local public choice from proposal to implementation, identify who owns the next task, and see what remains…
The full collection
All stories
Browse explanations of local decisions, public services, shared places and community participation. Each piece is designed to clarify a subject and leave room for the differences between places.
Public Services
A Public Service or a Public Space? Two Different Kinds of Shared Resource
Learn to tell a public service from a public space, so you can classify a shared resource and understand whether the…
Regional Character
Before the Boundary Line: Why Neighbouring Places Keep Distinct Names
Learn how neighboring place names can preserve older settlement and administrative patterns, and how to read them…
Participation
The Open Meeting Myth: What Participation Can and Cannot Do
The open meeting myth confuses attendance with influence. Learn how to make a focused public comment, find the right…
Shared Places
A First Visit to a Shared Community Space: What to Notice
A first visit to a shared community space is easier when you know what to notice: who uses it, how its areas work, and…
Our point of view
Local life makes more sense in context
We explain the structures behind familiar places and decisions, so readers can follow local life without needing specialist language.