Copyright Ian Pearson, BT Futurologist

Click here for contact details, other articles and personal details

Community networks and local government

for Local Government IT in Use, Summer 1997 Issue

Ian Pearson, BT Labs, July 1997

We are now all familiar with the role of information technology in group communications. Electronic mail allows messages to be sent to one or many people, and mailing lists help out when groups become large. Internet discussion groups are suited to large or informal groups - people can dip in and out as they please, without being swamped by messages. The Internet's growth is partly due to offering all these, as well as the access to lots of useful information. Most Internet activity is independent of geography, but there is a growing demand for local focus. The Internet has spawned a multitude of local community networks (though these networks are independent in principle of the Internet and can be implemented in many different ways). Both the Internet and these community networks will continue to grow rapidly - with just 4% current penetration in the UK, it is just the beginning.

When they mature, they will be ideal for local debates and socialisation, and they are the natural repository of local information of all kinds. Local attractions such as museums and galleries will be accessible to all via the community network. Digitisation of cities and their contents is already under way, initiated almost entirely by private enterprise. People will visit cities via the net, see their attractions, explore the galleries or visit shops, without ever setting foot in the physical city. There are no car parking problems on the net, and no costly travel to keep visitors away. People will shop and order pizzas on the network, and preview what is on at the theatre before booking their seats.

Residents may also use community networks extensively, co-ordinating local activities, debating local issues, perhaps running committees to arbitrate between competing local interests, and even running neighbourhood watch video networks.

Fortunately, the people starting up these networks are altruistic, trying their best to benefit their community, and they deserve nothing but praise. However without protection, it is possible that some people may later seek to control and use them to further their own political motives instead of those of the whole community. The community networks which are starting so idealistically could be reduced to a platform for a parallel local authority. With all the advantages and benefits IT can confer, they will control a large part of local information, content and communications, and may offer a formidable challenge to the elected local authority. It would make sense for local authorities to be involved from the outset, supporting the aims of these networks to strengthen the local community, and encourage involvement of the people in local activity and control. The networks are developing anyway. Local governments that ignore them may simply find themselves becoming side-tracked.