Ministers plan to give citizens mini-referendums on ‘big issues of the day’

CITIZEN juries will be set up around the country to allow people to vote on the biggest issues of the day in a move that could take control of national policy decisions away from politicians in Westminster. In six areas of England, ministers will today launch a pilot scheme to set up online, face-to-face or citizen juries to vote on vital issues.

If the tests work, they could be extended across the country to allow voters more of a say on issues such as the environment and transport. Each local authority area will be able to hold votes and if enough support a change, the Government could be forced to take action as a result. The mini-referendums would be used for big issues of the day and not things like taking out the bins, sources said, although in the test phase, people will only be allowed to vote on local matters like planning. The plans are part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s new civil society strategy that will also see £20 million from dormant charities used for community causes.

Under the plans, money from charitable trusts that spend less than 30 per cent of their income and sign up to the scheme will be redistributed to local groups. Tracey Crouch, minister for sport and civil society, unveiled the strategy, the first of its kind for 15 years, which focuses on areas of “social value” such as people, places and the public, private and social sectors.