Decision Making Process of WeBXL
We Brussels (WeBXL) is an initiative for citizen-driven politics in Brussels, Belgium.
This document defines the process WeBXL follows to develop its policies. The system design is in line with the guiding concepts including: transparent, participatory, responsiveness to citizens, efficient, simple and tested. Anybody participating in WeBXL accepts (link to membership doc?) to be bound (link to recourse) by this process.
Propose
Any group of 10 citizens from Brussels (link to definition of Initiators) can propose a new policy or change an existing policy. The Initiators publishe the proposal (link to system to publish proposals) and other citizens can express an interest in discussing the proposal (link to how).
Deliberate
The initiator invites a WeBXL Facilitator (link to registered facilitators or criteria) for the deliberation of the proposal. The Facilitator states clearly which personal or organisational interests might be or perceived to be served by the policy or by facilitating the deliberation (Link to conflict of interest). The Facilitator proposes the most effective and efficient method to have the proposal improved and approved by all interested citizens. (link to collective intelligence methods)
Any citizen can object to the proposed method (link to recourse).
The initiator organizes the deliberation process in line with the Facilitator’s instructions ensuring maximum participation of all interested citizens. The Initiator publishes the approved policy proposal including relevant supporting documentation (link to how) confirmed by the Facilitator (link to how).
Protect Minority Views
Any citizen can object (link to criteria for acceptable objections) to the policy proposal (link to how). The Facilitator tests the objections (link to how to test) and when they are valid, works with the objector and all interested citizens to amend the policy proposal until there are no objections left. (Link to dealing with objections)
Budget
If the cost of the policy are proposed to be met by a budget, the proposal will be added to the list of proposals for that budget (link to existing budgets and procedures.)
Link With Existing Political System
If the policy needs approval of the existing political process, the proposal will be added to the list of policy proposals and prioritized by a group of citizens representative of the population. (link to procedure). Elected WeBXL members (link to how to select a citizens’ list) work with the Initiator and interested citizens of the prioritized policy proposals to develop a political strategy. If further negotiation or compromising might occur while implementing this strategy, the Elected WeBXL members agree with the Initiator and interested citizens how they will approve any changes to the policy proposal. The Elected WeBXL members always act in support of the policy proposal and common good.
Implementation
The initiator remains the contact person for the progress of implementation of the policy and the measurements of the effect of the policy as stipulated in the proposal. (link to measuring and comms support.)