Speaker Biographies

Plenary speakers

Conference Chair: Cllr Matthew Ellis

Vice Chair, Local e-Democracy National Project

Now 39 years old, I sold my sports retail company three years ago, allowing me to concentrate on what I thoroughly enjoy, Politics

I entered local Politics by standing for the Conservative Party at the district elections in 2003. After success I was asked to join the Cabinet. My portfolio concentrates on modernisation, change management and Government inspection. I also lead on e-Government and it was this which involved me, as Vice Chairman, with the E-Democracy National Project.

At County elections last May I stood in a very large, mainly rural but also diverse Seat, covering the south of Lichfield district. After a tiring but hugely enjoyable campaign I was elected, winning the Seat back for Conservatives. It coincided with me being elected Deputy Leader at district level.

I'm passionate that communities feel involved with the democratic and decision making process. I believe electoral turnout, particularly locally, is often low, not only because people do not feel involved, but also because Local Authorities must work within such tight national criteria, the democratic difference on who runs things locally, is reduced.

My hope is that, Members particularly, will engage with what the E-Democracy National Project is trying to achieve and really reinvigorate people's interest in local democracy.

Jane Ratford

e-Government Adviser – local e-democracy, IDeA

Jane is leading a marketing and dissemination programme for the local e-Democracy National Project. The programme will include:

workshops and seminars for local authorities
advice to local authorities on how to implement e-democracy
e-democracy publications
a benefits and evaluation study of e-democracy
showcasing and developing e-democracy products available at: www.e-democracy.gov.uk

Jane began her career as a newspaper reporter, specialising in local government affairs. She moved into local authority communications and has worked in a number of London boroughs, including Tower Hamlets and Hillingdon. She is currently on secondment to the IDeA from St Albans District Council where she won an IPR local government best campaign award for e-voting in 2002.

Kamal Panchal

Programme Manager, Sustainable Communities, IDeA

Kamal Panchal is currently acting Program Manager, and is responsible for a number initiatives coming under the Agency's sustainable communities remit.

Current projects and initiatives include:

management of the Liveability Fund Action Learning Programme
delivery of leadership programmes focussing on development of councillors roles within sustainable communities
dissemination of best practice on neighbourhood engagement

A key role for Kamal within these areas is to influence national policy of local government to ensure maximum benefits for local communities.

Recently, Kamal has been instrumental in the setting up of a national training and development programme for the implementation of the Housing Act 2004. Before that, he project managed the new Planning Advisory Service (PAS) which is hosted by the IDeA.

Kamal has a wide range of experience and knowledge within local government including local strategic partnerships, neighbourhood renewal, partnership working, community engagement, and performance management.

Before joining the Agency in 2000, Kamal was a policy development officer at Bracknell Forest Borough Council, and previous to this, he worked for Oxfordshire County Council in the corporate policy unit.

Martin Vogel

BBC Action Network

Workshop facilitators

Issues Forums

Tim Erickson

Forum Development Manager, e-democracy.org

Tim was the Forum Manager for the St. Paul Issues Forum from 2001-2005, one of the original E-Democracy.Org local Issues Forums, launched in Minnesota (USA).

He has extensive experience organizing and facilitating online public policy discussions and online candidate debates (local and state level).

Recently, Tim helped edit the Issues Forum Guidebook and helped launch pilot Issues Forums in Brighton & Hove and Newham on behalf of the Local E-Democracy National Project

Tim is also an active member of the Online Working Group of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium

Funding website

Andre Bottin

Managing Director, Enterprise AB

Enterprise AB was founded in 1992 by its Managing Director, André Bottin, who has been involved in electronic commerce for over 20 years. Initially specialising in Electronic Data Interchange the company now concentrates on developing business solutions for the Internet. Our experience is second to none in this field. The company was incorporated in 2000, employs 6 staff, and operates from offices in the St Albans Enterprise Centre.

Our client base includes trade associations, commercial and public sector organisations and personal customers, for which we have undertaken a variety of developments.

With our partners we possess all the skills and experience necessary to implement any web-based solution including public web sites, intranets, e-commerce implementations or integration projects.

André is an active member of the Socitm. Over the last few years André has held several posts within the organisation. He is currently developing a Funding Sources Database for the E-Democracy National Project, which is funded by the

e-petitions and e-panels

Carol Hayward

Local e-Democracy Project Manager, Bristol City Council

Carol was the Project Manager for the series of epanel pilots within the Local eDemocracy National Project which included the establishment and management of Bristol's own epanel

Through the National Project, Carol managed the development of a series of training courses to help

support other epanels and co-ordinated the evaluation of the epanel pilots which helped produce guidance for other local authorities.

Solutions for e-consultation

Fraser Henderson

NorthLincsNet (North Lincolnshire Council)

Interested in all aspects of consumerism and citizen engagement, involved with the e-Democracy National Project from initiation and central to project co-ordination during the dissemination phase at the lead authority. Previous life at the Consumers' Association Research & Testing Centre, contributor to Which? magazine and an interest in all areas of technology, acoustics and democratic renewal

Cllr websites and Blogging

Peter Thomson

Project Lead, Local e-Democracy National Project