Do you feel your voice is heard by the people who 'run' South Tyneside and shape its future? Would you like the chance to try to make sure it is? Then you're in the right place!

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Citizens' Assembly South Tyneside (CAST) was formed by local people who feel our 'ordinary' voices are seldom heard - and even less often acted on - by those who take the decisions on our behalf.

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We call it a 'democratic deficit', when politicians and public officials, don't seem to take into account the local community's wishes when making the big decisions. They ask us to contribute occasionally during elections and mandatory consultation exercises, but the rest of the time they don't appear interested in what we think.

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Yet, they're taking decisions about huge issues which affect us all in every aspect of our lives - development and building, education, healthcare, transport, the environment, and so on.

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CAST has been formed to try to redress the balance, and give a voice to the opinions and wishes of the people of South Tyneside - the very people who live with the consequences of those decisions. Those whose lives are affected the most yet who seem to be consulted the least - in other words, YOU!

Now is the time for "Community-Driven, People-Powered Change" in South Tyneside!