Manchester government regulates collaboratively

Aerial view of Manchester Town Hall with its clock tower and main square.

In May 2017, Andy Burnham was elected governor of Greater Manchester in northern England. Wasting no time, the day after the election, Burnham launched an ambitious plan to ensure no one in the city would be homeless by 2020. The plan aimed to involve the entire community - businesses, property owners, caregivers, and citizens - in drafting public policies toward this goal. However, collaborating in a major urban area with nearly three million residents is no small task. From the outset, Burnham understood that technology would play a key role in coordinating citizens’ proposals and ideas.

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Our client

With the support of Kuorum, Andy Burnham and the Greater Manchester Regional Government developed a strategy to engage citizens in co-creating the plan. Kuorum is a platform designed to help governments and organizations innovate through online participation. Its contact management and mass email tools simplify community engagement efforts, while its features for debates, surveys, events, petitions, and participatory budgeting enable citizens to contribute to the policymaking process.

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"We needed to involve citizens in drafting the plan"

Two women and two different men debate intensely while one of them points to the computer screen they are sharing in a white-walled room.

In Manchester, the platform was used for a variety of purposes. Our consultants supported Burnham’s team by training public employees and nonprofit organizations in using Kuorum and in techniques to encourage participation from unorganized citizens. This helped the Greater Manchester Regional Government grow its participation base significantly.

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Andy Burnham not only took action to solve one of the city's biggest problems, he helped build a more cohesive and participatory city. Kuorum helps its clients - be they governments or businesses - put the spotlight on those issues that matter most to them and build a reputation around these issues. In the first 3 months of 2018, Greater Manchester Government was able to raise close to £100,000 for its cause. And Burnham is already a benchmark in the fight against social exclusion, not only in their region but across the UK. If you want to know more, do not hesitate to contact us.

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Increased participation

Voter experience

From any device

Call by email

"The platform allowed us to efficiently coordinate citizens' proposals and ideas"

Andy Burnham

Mayor of Greater Manchester