The people and the place
At the last census Bristol had a black and minority ethnic (BME) population of 8.2 per cent - in schools this rises to 23 per cent and there are large BME communities in the city's Easton, Ashley and Lawrence Hill wards.
Bristol City Council recognised that its councillors did not reflect the make-up of its communities and it needed to make progress in making the chamber more diverse. In 2004 there was only one BME councillor, and there had never been a sizable BME grouping in the Council. The Council also knew that it was not getting BME communities out to vote and that, while there was activism within local communities, this rarely translated into involvement in local democracy. Councillor Peter Hammond had spoken with community leaders who noted that young people were not engaging in the mainstream political life of the city, what Peter describes as 'diffidence in putting themselves forward… and being identified with the larger institutional stage'.
Peter was leader of Bristol's Labour Group in 2004 when he heard Simon Woolley of Operation Black Vote (OBV) talk at a Local Government Information Unit conference. OBV had already run shadowing schemes which involved people from BME communities (shadows) accompanying magistrates and MPs (shadowees) in their work role, to gain a deeper understanding of what it is like to do those jobs. Peter and Simon talked about the possibility of a councillor shadowing scheme along similar lines.
Peter took this idea back to council officers. His interest was in a council-wide, cross-party scheme - not just a political party initiative. The idea was welcomed by Helen Ball, Head of Policy, Performance and Equalities, and Rowena Hayward, Equalities and Social Inclusion Officer - and the first cross- party councillor shadowing scheme began to take shape, managed by Gillian Douglas.
The innovation and the impact
The scheme ran in 2004/05. Thirteen shadows were selected following widespread advertising in a range of publications and media, and a formal selection process. The shadows each paired up with a volunteer councillor. Councillors were drawn from across three political parties.
Over an eight-month period, shadows explored how the Council works - 'warts and all'. They spent a minimum of eight working days with their mentor councillor undertaking a range of duties from attending ward surgeries, scrutiny committees, and cabinet and full council sessions, as well as individual political party meetings and meetings with officers. They attended seminars and workshops on councillors' code of conduct, how to deal with the media, and the structure and services of the Council. These were supported by progress meetings and one-to-one meetings between councillors and shadows where required. In parallel the shadows worked toward a BTEC professional award in local government.
An evaluation highlighted success from both councillor and shadow perspectives. Councillor mentors found that having to explain what they did and why sharpened their critical awareness and two-way discussions helped them better to understand community issues.
The impact for shadows has been impressive. They report feeling more engaged in terms of political involvement, networking opportunities and knowledge of the way the Council works. They praised the professionalism of the recruitment exercise, the flexibility of the scheme and the openness of the Council in letting them sit in on meetings. They were also impressed by the support they received from OBV and council officers, and the open and positive attitude of councillors involved.
One shadow, Ricky Nelson was selected by his political party to stand for a ward election in 2006, and he has also become a school governor. Another, Maleeka Bokhari, still too young to stand for councillor, has become very active in the prison service. Kayse Maxamud recognised that, among the 18,000 Somalis in Bristol, the level of voting in local elections is very low and he is working with the Council to encourage more Somalis to register to vote. Since the terrorist attacks in London he has also been working with the local police and media organisations to build relations with the Somali community.
In addition to taking these steps towards broadening its councillor base, the scheme has produced ambassadors for the Council and supported the wider agenda of community cohesion. Those taking part are able to go back into their communities and demystify the political process, dispelling myths about the Council. The scheme won the 2006 LGC award for supporting local democracy.
How did the innovation happen?
Following the initial meeting between Peter Hammond and Simon Woolley, the Council held discussions with OBV who put forward a proposal for the councillor shadowing scheme. OBV could point to the success of its magistrates and MPs shadowing schemes. Ashok Viswanathan of OBV sees the strength of the scheme for participants being the fact it 'opens the door for them into understanding the host of opportunities that are out there in terms of civic and political life'. They also feel that on a wider level their work is a tool to countering disenfranchisement in communities and possible related social problems.
All three party leaders and Bristol's Chief Executive Nick Gurney quickly endorsed the proposal. From OBV's perspective, Bristol's track record on equalities work and member development made it a good choice for a first scheme. Bristol had, for example, made a joint declaration with nineteen other organisations to promote equality, tackle discrimination and share best practice, in the wake of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry.
The first scheme ran from September 2004 to May 2005. The Council used a range of individuals, organisations and networks with the help of OBV to get beyond the people they would normally reach. Anyone interested was asked to express an interest and was sent an application pack. Of 20 applicants 13 were selected through a competitive interview involving the council and OBV. The successful candidates were representative of the Black or Black British, Caribbean, British African, Somali African, Asian British, Indian and Pakistani communities. Eight were women and five men.
The scheme was funded through a democratic services budget. The first scheme cost an estimated £20,000 for OBV's consultancy, the launch and a graduation ceremony at the end of the scheme where shadows and mentors received certificates.
What helped to get started?
Councillors and officers at Bristol knew there was a problem with the involvement of the BME community and they wanted to address it. Peter Hammond also saw a user demand in conversations with community leaders.
There was an ambition within the authority to work more closely with BME communities, and in a more sophisticated and two-way fashion. So when the idea of cross-party councillor shadowing arose there was rapidly cross party member backing and consensus. The cross-party nature of the scheme with sign-up from all parties has been a particular strength. Ashok acknowledges the genuine commitment of the authority: 'the fact that the Council decided to support this scheme and that it was supported by the councillors shows that Bristol has gone that mile more than other councils and put the rhetoric into action.'
A track record on equalities and member development meant the project was quickly located in the right part of the Council under someone with sufficient authority and with the skills to deal with the political interface. Nick considers the talent of staff involved to be a key determinant in the success of the innovation.
What helped to keep it going?
The ongoing support of members who volunteered to be mentors and their willingness to be open, helpful and supportive towards the shadows made the scheme work as well as it did. Members feel that, for their part, they have become more aware of issues affecting BME communities in Bristol.
Clarity around the fact that the scheme was about community involvement and not about one political party or another was also important - without this the scheme could have quickly become politicised. Clear ground rules on other aspects such as the respective roles of the shadow and the councillor mentors, as well as the respective roles of officers and members were also fundamental.
The partnership with Operation Black Vote helped to give the project credibility, and was a key determinant in attracting the shadows to the initiative. Once up and running OBV assisted with training seminars and educational support to provide a wider context for all taking part.
What helped to share the learning?
The LGC award for supporting local democracy has raised the profile of this scheme with peers. The Council places great value on external validation and has an awards working group, which develops expertise about application techniques. Members have generated publicity through Agenda a Labour councillor magazine as well as by talking at conferences.
Bristol has hosted officer visits from other councils and information about the scheme was included in the Council's open day as part of its Beacon status for racial equality. The Council has also made a presentation to the LGA and spoken to Welsh Assembly officers about the scheme. Other councils who have shown an interest in replicating the Bristol scheme have approached OBV directly.
Challenges along the way
The first major challenge was to get around the difficulty of officers engaging in what could be seen as a very political arena. But as Helen Ball explains 'we were quite clear that what we are about is reinforcing and developing the governance well-being of the city… at some levels we don't look credible because we haven't got the right mix of councillors making the decisions.' Both members and officers have been aware of the political element and have skilfully steered a course through potential difficulties.
The main challenge for Bristol now is to make this scheme sustainable - to keep shadows involved and active over a sufficient time period to have a real impact on the culture within the Council, political groups and parties. OBV share this view - its concern is to ensure that the good work done to date trickles down locally and into the political party machinery, a process it feels will take at least two or three years.
What next?
A second round of shadowing was launched in Bristol on 30 November 2006, and another ten shadows and their councillors have begun the shadowing process. A thorough evaluation of the first scheme means this round will build on the lessons of the first. The shadows from the first scheme will also be involved to use what they have learned and also to keep the support for them going.