A new kind of local politics: how does it work – and what are its limits?
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Last year, these pages looked at the phenomenon coming out of a Somerset market town:
Flatpack Democracy 2.0 – Frome makes politics relevant & fun
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And this evening, Radio 4 interviews its instigator:
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Peter Macfadyen and rebuilding democracy
In this episode, Helen talks to Peter Macfadyen, the sometime gardener, undertaker and former mayor of Frome in Somerset who, along with a group of independents, took over the town council and pioneered a new kind of local politics.
Doing away with formal rules and regulations, Independents for Frome opened up the council to a diverse range of community groups, creating a model for engagement and participation that is now being emulated around the country and beyond, thanks to Peter Macfadyen’s DIY guide: Flatpack Democracy. But, Helen asks, how does it work – and what are its limits?
The Spark: Peter Macfadyen and rebuilding democracy | bbc.co.uk