RSA Southampton network meet up

We are delighted to welcome Darren Paffey and Dan Fitzhenry to discuss the status and future vision for democracy in Southampton.

Over the last 17 years the city has had 12 leaders, and the political leadership of the Council has changed six times.

Our city structures may be democratic, but they have arguably failed to deliver the long-term stability required for successful future planning.

Meanwhile, many other cities and regions have benefitted from devolutionary innovation and approaches.

How can we create a vision for effective local democracy in Southampton?

How can we champion what is best for our city?

Darren Paffey is the Labour parliamentary candidate for Southampton Itchen. He has been a councillor and deputy leader of Southampton City Council.

Dan Fitzhenry became a councillor in 2008 and led the Council in 2021-22. He was Conservative Group Leader for Southampton City Council from 2022-23.

Darren and Dan both stood down from Southampton City Council after the elections on May 2nd and will bring their experience of local democracy to what will be a lively debate.

This event is free to attend and open to RSA Fellows, friends, and colleagues interested in supporting the work of the RSA.

Democracy in Southampton will be facilitated by Spencer Bowman FRSA, founder of Mettricks.

How can people and communities imagine and deliver a more prosperous, planet-positive Southampton? 

How can we embrace a shared, positive Southampton story and foster a sense of pride in our city and its people? 

Join other Fellows in Southampton for a friendly summer gathering to connect and chat in a relaxed environment.  

How do we transform our public spaces to create a joined up city that serves citizens and visitors alike? 

How can we empower young people in local decision making? How can we create ‘youth hope’ How can we rethink education to embrace new ways of learning? 

How can we make Southampton a city of culture, every year?  

Join other Fellows in Southampton for a friendly festive gathering to connect and chat in a relaxed environment. 

To participate in the event, you will need to register for a ticket so we can make sure we have an up-to-date list of those who plan on attending. If you wish to register another attendee, this must be done separately using a different email address. This is for capacity purposes. We encourage all attendees that are ill or showing symptoms of illness to stay home and to cancel your Eventbrite ticket if you are no longer able to join the event.

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Please be aware that registrations will close two hours before the event is due to start.

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