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outcomes from deliberations de
ne their parameters, they could use this
power to exclude areas from debate where it is feared that public views
may not be consistent with political goals. To address this potential
problem, the
juries would review proposals by
planning authorities for the issues to be examined by deliberating
groups. Participants in the following processes should also be able to
add issues to those that they have been charged to consider once they
have become suf
rst round of citizens
'
ciently acquainted with the subject matter to identify
further matters for review by them.
Third, requirements for groups to explain why conclusions have been
reached and for decision-makers to state their reasons for accepting or
rejecting the group
s views can be used to lay bare the sometimes
obscure reasoning underlying political decisions. Niemeyer suggests
that brief statements of key reasons for the conclusions drawn by
citizens
'
'
juries could extend the transformative effect of deliberation
by encouraging re
ection by non-participants on the defensibility of
views.
123
The opening up to critical scrutiny of their
proposals by a wider audience also places pressure on politicians to use
coherent reasons to explain why they believe an approach to be bene
their compatriots
'
-
cial for society, and particularly where they depart from a group
'
s
recommendations.
124
Deliberation
s reach could be extended by using
statements of reasons made by deliberants and by decision-makers in
response to them as supporting documents for larger participatory
exercises.
Fourth, the preparation of draft local plans is the
'
rst stage in a
process that feeds into the formation of regional proposals for stress
reduction.
125
These proposals are subsequently reviewed at the national
level.
126
Further opportunities to participate through deliberative fora in
decision-making at these levels would be used to build on and scale up
the initial bene
ts of engagement with local planning. Continuity in the
personnel involved, if people are willing and able to give more of their
time to democratic processes, would assist with creating links between
local and national planning processes. Increasing opportunities for
public involvement with decision-making in general and creating struc-
tures that enable views expressed in local participation to in
uence
decisions made at higher governmental levels both provide means, as
123
Niemeyer,
124
'
The Emancipatory Effect of Deliberation
'
,125
-
8.
Ibid
., 127
-
8.
125
Chapter 4,
Section 4.5
.
126
Chapter 4,
Sections 4.3
,
4.4
and 4.5.
