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Who decides what: the slides.
A 14-slide deck with speaker notes, for a 60-minute session. Present it from this page, or print it to PDF with one slide per page. The run sheet says when to show each slide.
While presenting: → or Space next, ← back, Home and End, S speaker notes, F full screen, Esc to stop.
Moraph for Good · Voice
Who decides what
A Voice session from Moraph for Good
A free session kit · moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/who-decides-what
Moraph for Good · Voice · Who decides what1 / 14
Speaker notes
Welcome people as they arrive. Introduce yourself and say this is a free, nonpartisan session about how local decisions get made.
How today works
Ground rules
- Strictly nonpartisan: how decisions are made, not who should make them
- Nobody has to share anything about themselves
- Questions are welcome at any time
- Everything country-specific comes from an official source
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Speaker notes
Go through each rule briefly. Say that if a current issue comes up, you will steer back to the process.
The big idea
Most of the decisions that shape your street are made close to home.
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Speaker notes
Ask for a show of hands: who has been affected by a local decision this year, such as roadworks, a bus change or library hours? Don’t ask for details.
Layers
Government comes in layers
- National: matters for the whole country
- State, province or region, in many countries
- Local councils, sometimes in two or three tiers
- Special bodies for things like schools, water or transport
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Speaker notes
Keep this general. The exact layers differ by country and even within a country, and the handout has the details for yours.
Layers
What each layer tends to handle
- National: things that affect everyone in the country
- Regional: things across a state, province or region
- Local: the services you see every day on your street
- Some things are shared between levels
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Speaker notes
Ask the room for examples of each. Write a few on the flip chart. You will come back to them in the sorting game.
Who does what
Elected members and staff
- Elected members set policy and approve budgets
- Staff run services and carry out decisions
- Staff can usually explain how something works today
- Members decide whether it should change
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Speaker notes
This is the most useful distinction of the session. Knowing whether you need an explanation or a change tells you who to contact.
Who does what
Special bodies
- School boards or districts
- Water, fire, transport or library districts or authorities
- Advisory boards and committees with resident members
- Each has its own meetings and records
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Speaker notes
Many people don’t know these bodies exist. Say that some are elected and some are appointed, depending on where you live.
Worth knowing
The same issue can sit with more than one level.
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Speaker notes
Give a neutral example: a road might be maintained by the local council, but the money for it may come partly from a higher level. That is why “More than one” is a real answer in the game.
Activity
Try it: sort the issues
- Work in groups of three or four
- Place each issue card under the level you think decides it
- Guessing is fine, and so is “More than one”
- You have 10 minutes
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Speaker notes
Hand out the card sets. Walk round and listen. Note which cards cause the most discussion so you can start the debrief there.
Debrief
What did you find?
- Which card surprised you most?
- Which ended up under “More than one”?
- How would you check if you weren’t sure?
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Speaker notes
Go through the answers using the country block. Where it doesn’t cover a card, say so and show how to check on the local government’s website.
Your area
Find your own decision makers
- Start with your local government’s website
- Look for what each body is responsible for
- Find your elected members and meeting dates
- The handout lists official places to look
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Speaker notes
Show the website you looked up beforehand. Point out where it lists services, elected members and meeting dates. Give people a few minutes for worksheet exercise 2.
Your area
When you’re not sure, ask
- “Who decides this?”
- “When will it next be discussed?”
- “Is there a report or proposal I can read?”
- “How can I give my view?”
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Speaker notes
These four questions work for almost any body. Encourage people to ask in writing so they have the answer to refer back to.
Voting
For anything about voting, go to your official election office.
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Speaker notes
Registration, deadlines, polling places and ways to vote come from the electoral authority where you live, not from a message, post or call. The handout says where to find it.
Thank you
Questions?
- Take the handout: the back has official sources for your country
- Next session: Meetings and public comment
- Free guides at moraph.org/commons
This kit, the worksheet and the handouts: moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/who-decides-what
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Speaker notes
Take questions. If one is about a specific dispute or a current controversy, thank the person and suggest the relevant body’s own contact or complaints route.