Building a culture of participation and local democracy
Exeter Community Assembly is a resident-led initiative bringing people together to explore local issues, strengthen community connections and create new opportunities for participation in civic life.
Since 2023, local residents have been experimenting with regular People's Assemblies as a way to deliberate on shared challenges, build understanding across difference and develop a stronger voice in shaping the future of their city.
Assembly Culture in Exeter
Creating a regular practice of participation and deliberation
Exeter Community Assembly brings together residents from across the city who want greater influence over the decisions shaping where they live. Participants come from different neighbourhoods, backgrounds and walks of life, united by a belief that local democracy works best when people have meaningful opportunities to listen, deliberate and act together.
The initiative emerged from a desire to create more regular and constructive spaces for public dialogue around issues such as housing, transport, the cost of living and climate. Rather than focusing on one campaign or issue, Exeter Community Assembly is exploring how assemblies themselves can become part of the city’s democratic infrastructure.
Since late 2023, the group has delivered eight People’s Assemblies, running regularly for more than a year. Each assembly has brought together residents to explore local priorities through facilitated discussion, creating opportunities for people to learn from one another, build shared understanding and develop collective responses to complex challenges.
Alongside the public assemblies, a core organising group of local facilitators and volunteers has emerged. This group supports planning, facilitation and follow-up, gradually building the skills, confidence and relationships needed to sustain the work over the long term.
Together, these activities are helping to establish assemblies as a recognised part of Exeter’s civic life. More than a series of events, Exeter Community Assembly represents an ongoing experiment in participatory, place-based democracy — exploring what becomes possible when communities create regular opportunities to listen, deliberate and shape the future of their city together.
