Community visioning: An evaluation of the 'Choices for Bristol' project

There is currently great interest in developing new ways of involving the public in decisions about policies and services that affect their lives. There is also a growing use of vision statements by political leaders and planning professionals. "Community visioning", an approach already used widely in cities in the USA, draws these two strands together by encouraging ordinary citizens to get involved in creating visions of the future of their communities and cities. "Choices for Bristol" is an example of this new approach. Established in 1994, it set out to involve and support the people of Bristol in thinking about the future of their city. This report tells the story of Choices for Bristol and describes some of the difficulties and successes of the initiative. It also reviews some similar initiatives in the USA and elsewhere in the UK as well as locating them in the context of more extensive moves to extend democratic involvement. The report concludes with pointers for progress for anyone who might be considering establishing a Choices-type initiative in their area.