Introduction

1. Lambeth planning alerts - Scraping Lambeth's planning database
2. ElectionMemory.com - Blogyfy-ing local election manifestos in Lambeth
3. Love Music Hate Racism - building local groups with pledgebank

All built using existing tools and with zero budget

1) Lambeth Planning Alerts

1) Lambeth Planning Alerts

What does it do?

• PHP screen scraper grabs planning applications from the Lambeth Council website
• Email details to mailman mailing list with link to council feedback form, further info and a google map
• Converts links to tinyurl's so they are email-able / blogg-able
• Still work in progress, so only works for SW9/SW2 with limited audience (~25)

1) Lambeth Planning Alerts

Why do it? - Arthur Dent Syndrome

• The council's web interface is good, but it requires active participation.
• You only visit if you are looking for something specific. You need to know what you are looking for.
• You'd probably know if your next door neighbour was going to knock her house down.
• But not if the old cinema 5 streets away is going to be demolished.
• Email is passive

1) Lambeth Planning Alerts

Queen pub in Brixton - what happens when no one's looking

2) ElectionMemory.com

2) ElectionMemory.com

What does it do? - Online manifesto hustings

• Published local manifestos, candidate lists and previous results for the Lambeth 2005 general election in one place
• Let people comment against each paragraph of each manifesto and record their priorities for their ward

2) ElectionMemory.com

• Manifestos were begged in advanced or stolen direct from local parties
• Candidate list came from the council with a page per candidate (inc. google links guardian links)
• Built using wordpress
• Very positive response from local politicians. The only complaint came from the The Socialist Party about an incorrect weblink to the Socialist Party of Britain (splitters)

2) ElectionMemory.com

• 4000 + visits in the 3 weeks up to the election
• Top google result for many candidates

2) ElectionMemory.com

Why do it?

• No single source for this kind of information
• People dont read manifestos, but parties use them to justify what they do
• Shared public scrutiny of manifestos
• Lets people compare policies of parties and have their say on them
• Turnout very low in Lambeth - 17% in Coldhabour Ward in 2002
• Provides a permanent googlable record of who stood on what manifesto
• Most visitors to the site came via googling about who to vote for.

3) LoveMusichateRacism.com + Pledgebank

3) LoveMusichateRacism.com + Pledgebank

Love Music Hate Racism?

• Love Music Hate Racism organises events and gigs to fight Racism and the BNP
• Formed in 2002 & has organised 500 + gigs
• Borne out of the Rock Against Racism movement of the 70's & 80's

Pledgebank?

• mySociety project that lets people say I'll do something if 10 people will help me.

3) LoveMusichateRacism.com + Pledgebank

What does it do?

• Integrates Pledgebank into a wordpress based site using a custom plugin
• Relevant pledges automatically appear on the website

3) LoveMusichateRacism.com + Pledgebank

• 5 events & local groups have been formed in the last 9 months
• Including coventry, liverpool and exeter e.g.:

So, who are Love Music Hate Racism Exeter? "We are a collective of local volunteers who love music and use it to celebrate diversity and promote racial harmony", says Danu, whose pledge at www.pledgebank.com earlier this year prompted musicians, promoters and venues alike to come together to organise events.

Other ways the site supports our volunteers

• Pools flickr images
• Online poster generaters
• Provides logos and flyers for download

3) LoveMusichateRacism.com + Pledgebank

Why do it?

• Open up the campaign, provide a way in
• Build independent grassroots networks
• High profile supporters like Pete Dohety, Billy Bragg & Kano
• Very limited resources we rely on supporters organising things themselves

Thanks

The end