Saturday 17th April saw the launch of a new national organisation for civic societies, Civic Voice. The Coventry Society was represented by newly elected Civic Voice Trustee, David Tittle. The Coventry Society was the first of 150 societies who have so far joined Civic Voice in its first 61 days. Many of those were represented among the 170 people who came together at the Building Centre in London.

Broadcaster, Griff Rhys Jones got proceedings underway talking about how people got together to protect the environment in his own neighbourhood of Fitrovia (just a short walk from the meeting). Civic Voice Director Tony Burton then told the story of how Civic Voice had come into being following a long process of consultation and development after the demise of the Civic Trust. This was he said “the end of the beginning”. The meeting also heard from newly appointed chair Paula Ridley and from Architect Terry Farrell, who talked about the need for civic organisations to be proactive in putting forward ideas for the development of places, as he had done with the Marylebone/Euston Road and the Thames Estuary.

In between these speakers was a lively discussion in which civic society activists talked about the challenges they face with the planning system, and their ambitions to me more influential and inclusive. Civic Voice has got off to lively start with its Street Pride and Love Local campaigns but faces many challenges ahead; to involve more civic societies, to get onto a sound financial footing and most importantly to turn hundreds of disparate civic society into a national campaign for better places. Browse the Civic Voice website here.