William Perrin TAL

POLIS Summer School8 July 2010

William Perrin - william@talkaboutlocal.org

Talk About Local (West Midlands) Ltdhttp://talkaboutlocal.org/faq

Abandoned cars and weekly arsonBingfield Park, Rufford Street 2002In front of my house Pics – Mark Bailey

Stolen moped Grand Prixs c2002Bingfield Park Kings CrossMost Saturdays when Arsenal at homeIn front of my house Pics – Mark Bailey

The ‘Crackavan’Rufford Street c2002In front of my house Pics – Mark Bailey

Caledonian Ward Safer Neighbourhood Panel

North King Cross Environmental Taskforce

West Area Committee

West Area Planning Committee

CYP Management committee

Kings Cross Development Forum

Gifford, Rufford and Randells Residents Association

Team Cally

Sparkplug Management Committee

Planning Applications (dozens)

....but found huge information burden mostly from council and local public services

We used the web to streamline all this

Got stuck in to traditional local action over several years........

‘Strategic plans’ - many

www.kingscrossenvironment.comover 900 articlesFour volunteer writers – aged 40-65Small number of authorsCampaigns, information, wildlife, events etcImportant part of wider regeneration – crime down, streets cleaner, public services more responsive

www.sheffieldforum.co.uk

discussion forum

4.1 million posts

100,000 registered users

Population Sheffield 450,000

Stoke-on-Trent www.pitsnpots.co.ukCampaigning, challenging styleReflects local frustration at political scene3 writers, 30,000 comments on local politicsDrupal site£25 a month

http://talkaboutlocal.org/faq/

www.digbeth.orgDigbeth gritty industrial area of South B’hamArts, events, positive storiesDigbeth is Good redefined image of Digbeth on lineCosts - £10/monthWordpress blog

http://talkaboutlocal.org/faq/

Team of 5 people400 pv a dayThousands of articlesVillage population 500Wordpress.comC£10/month

www.harringayonline.com2,300 membersHarringay Town and Green LanesChatty informal feelWide range of local issues£15 month

http://Kingtonblackboard.orgUK online centre – Marches Access PointStarted August 2009 with TALRural town life and newsWordpress site

http://W14london.ning.comDeprived area of West LondonStarted August 2009 – with TAL and local NDCLocal discussion and informationNearly 200 members alreadyNing.com site – cost £zero

First catch your local site...http://openlylocal.com/hyperlocal_sites

BBC 25 February 2010Talk about local site W14london.ning.com making the news

‘Local websites of all shapes and sizes are providing community news and information to hundreds of thousands of people.....grass roots media can provide an accurate, reliable, popular sources of news and information without regulation or subsidy. Their news values and thresholds are new, reflecting grass roots interests and priorities.’Digital Britain report

Traditional media leaders are coming around to the vision of local sites improving neighbourhoods and holding politicians to account:

Alan Rusbridger, Cudlipp Lecture:‘Depending on your point of view, you may find that vision of new ways of connecting and informing communities inspiring or terrifying. I think it is both – but it is a useful starting point to thinking about the value of journalism, in every sense of the word 'value'. And it is good to be forced to think at an even more basic level – about what journalism is and who can do it.’