Where Did PPNs Come From?

In 2013 the government set up ‘the working group on citizen engagement’ to examine the best way to get greater involvement of citizens in local government. They recommended the establishment of Public Participation Networks in each county.

The report of the working group is available here: Working Group Report on Citizen Engagement.

Established in 2014 through the Local Government Reform Act 2014, the PPN provides a structure and process for the public to have their say on local government decisions.

Sligo PPN

The Sligo Public Participation Network (PPN) is is a network of community/voluntary, social inclusion and environmental organisations, based in County Sligo. It forms the link between these local interest sectors and Sligo County Council.

The PPN is the main way that Sligo County Council and other formal bodies will connect with groups active in the county. Whenever the local authority needs people to participate in consultations or sit on the committees that form policies, such as Special Policy Committees, it will call on the PPN to select these people by holding elections from amongst its members.

Sligo PPN has a group called the secretariat that manages its activities at the County level. The members of this group are independent of the County Council and are elected by the members of the PPN. Sligo PPN also has one part time development worker and one part time administrator that work alongside the Secretariat.

Every group that joins the PPN has a vote and is able to nominate candidates for positions on decision-making bodies.

Our Members

Our members are people who volunteer or work in the community. The Sligo PPN has more than 500 member groups and includes community-based groups, organisations, associations, clubs, societies, and charities.

The purpose of the PPN is to:
  • Support our member groups to have their voices heard within the formal decision-making structures of County Sligo and its environs, including Sligo County Council.
  • Organise the participation and representation of communities on decision making bodies in a fair, equitable and transparent manner.
  • Strengthen the capacity of communities and community organisations to contribute positively to the community in which they live or are active.
  • Provide information relevant to all community sectors and act as a hub around which information is distributed and received. With this in mind Sligo PPN runs this website, and has it’s own Facebook and Twitter (@sligoppn) accounts; as well as regularly distributing information via email and other local media channels.

 

 

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