Escalation Plan. Being Heard.

The Bigger Picture

Community Assemblies are part of a bigger plan for Extinction Rebellion. Community Assemblies could be a strategy through which we escalate issues raised at local assemblies, all the way up to Westminster. In particular, highlighting XR's 3rd Demand to local politicians, or even local officers and councillors in your local authority gets the idea of real democracy and participation on the radar of those in power, giving us options to upgrade our democracy nationally, beginning with a citizens' assembly on climate and ecological justice.

Pick and Mix

Remember, that each local area will have different political backdrops. Some local authorities may have declared a climate emergency, while others may still be resisting change.

Your local group may or may not have established links with local candidates, politicians, local officers of the council, or may be checking which of them is supporting the Climate and Ecology Bill.

There are so many urgent issues facing communities around the UK, some of which we share, others may be more local; whatever the focus for your community assembly, it's all of value.

You may have allied organisations on board, or may be in the process of building those relationships. More resources will appear here soon on our Resources page to help you map your local community and identify whom you could work best with.

Your local organisers may wish to hold an assembly on a topic important to them, which may or may not have the aim of making recommendations to your local or regional authority. We recommend that your organising group decide in advance which outcomes your want to achieve when deciding your topic for deliberation. Might you want to escalate if local authorities are not responsive?

Whatever your situation, take from this guidance what is relevant to your local situation.

What Does Escalating Mean?

An assembly escalation plan begins with organising your local Community Assembly and collating recommendations that may involve a bigger body being involved, such as a local council, or a company, such as your local water services provider.

When you share those requests and recommendations with that authority, they may or may not engage. That gives your group the opportunity to build on the original purpose of your assembly with escalatory measures. This 'escalation' approach then means subsequently applying pressure on eg local / regional politicians, or company board members, to bring about meaningful change, based on the aspirations coming out of your local deliberations.

More on this later...

When Is A Good Time?

In the lead up to eg a General Election, local election, or during the company reporting season (at the end of Q4 / 4th Quarter ie March annually) we all have greater influence on power brokers than at any other time.

In particular, where politicians are in deadlock over issues around our climate and ecological emergency, we can open up conversations around community assemblies and a Citizen's Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice, or help amplify complementary aims of eg the Sortition Foundation, Humanity Project, Assemble, or others, not necessarily in the deliberative democracy space. Reach out to anyone who are generally on the margins, but who share your values and aspirations.

If your local authorities are obstructive, then alongside your community allies, that is the perfect time to share the ideas arising from local Community Assemblies and think about how you can best get other groups on board to push for change!

Tips on How To Engage Your Local or Unitary Authority

1. Be aware that Council elections usually have low turnout and that this helps you! Local politicians are sensitive to changes in community opinions, particularly those of influential groups. Identifying such groups and finding common ground with them will help strengthen your campaign and reach more people. Map out your key organisations on the Power Map

   

2. Local politicians are likely to be quite scared of dealing with XR, so start gently. To begin, contact them by email, attend a surgery, or phone them. Invite them to attend your local assembly; ask for their support for a campaign. Think about whatever could work locally.

3. Try to make an appointment to meet with the relevant Chair of Committee or Portfolio Holder responsible for the issue you’re raising, to discuss an assembly, or particular campaign ideas. If you can, offer your local XR group's support for a policy that politician is involved with; it will be appreciated and helps to build trust. Talk to XR UK's Political Circle / Political Engagement Cymru for help here.

4. In advance of your assembly, give the impression of having lots of local support for the issue you're raising (which of course may be the case, such as water pollution). Build your credibility by raising a petition; focus this on local people, they probably won't be interested in the views of others! Alternatively, set up a gathering, run a survey, use social media, take photographs, etc. Contact Councillors to alert them to what you're doing and talk about support gained.

5. Follow up what you do by submitting Questions to Full Council, which will make the Council’s response public, may be reported in the media, and with prior permission you can film the response and use in social media, to grow interest.

Tipping Point of Community Power!

Extinction Rebellion's strategic aim is to achieve a tipping point of local support that pushes the conversation about a Citizen's Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice..

Ultimately, we want to reach Westminster ears, or even our regional authorities. This can only come from grassroots in numbers, i.e. us, the people, alongside our allies in the deliberative democracy sphere and elsewhere.

We know our political systems are broken. Imagine a proven and more inclusive method of decision making that ensures the interests of people and nature are taken into careful consideration, in all decisions. Imagine decision making where no one is left behind and we transition together, collaboratively to a healthier, fairer society. Mobilising and empowering local people at the grassroots is the starting point...

XR's vision is that over coming months, local groups could be taking up nonviolent direct action. around their local authrities; dozens of government and authority buildings could be occupied all over the country, with the simple demand to follow the recommendations of their local community assembly on important issues.

Of course, your local or regional authority might already be in agreement to implement recommendations from local assemblies... It's already starting to happen. (See Case Studies.).

What If Your Powers That Be Are Not Listening?

If your local authority, or a company, or whomever you need to listen, doesn't want to take your assembly's recommendations on board, or engage with improving community participation in democratic decisions and citizenship, that is the time to consider escalation.

So for instance, if your local authority will not support your community in the following ways, you may consider occupying uncollaborative local or unitary authorities, or corporate offices.

XR Local Groups have had great success with getting support from allies in some of the following situations where authorities are not collaborating or engaging:

• Your relevant authority refuses to take on board recommendations arising from well-organised local community assemblies.
• Your local authority (LA) refuses to declare a climate and ecological emergency
• Your Local Authority scores low on the National Score Card..
  • This Score Card shows progress made by your local council towards achieving net zero across a range of business areas, e.g. buildings, finance, biodiversity, transport, collaboration and engagement, waste and more. Performance in each area of work is scored as a percentage. This is useful information to use in discussions with politicians.
• Your LA refuses to join the UN 'Race To Zero' initiative.
• Check out our page:How5 yourStep Escalation Plan Can Happen in 4 Steps. This will help make your 'people power' vision a reality where you live and work.
• View the Introduction to the Community Assembly Escalation Plan Open Call from October 2023, and
• check out the slideshow used in the call

Need More Pointers?

If you are not sure about where the decision making powers lie where you are, have a look at the Combined Authorities map to find out who to target.

If you have any questions on any of the choices of direction you face, or just need to bounce ideas around join our Assemblies Sharing Chat