From Advice and Consultation to Local Co-governance. The Case of Advisory Councils in Polish Cities

The paper draws on the empirical findings of the research exploring the functions of local advisory councils (ACs). ACs are conceptualized as the form of participation placed between ‘advising and opinion-giving’ and ‘co-governance’ according to Fung’s approach (2006). Youth councils, senior citizen councils, and councils for residents with disabilities – that operate in 65 Polish cities – are put under examination. The article presents the results of the desk research, questionnaire, and interviews with the AC members addressing the issues of the origins of ACs in Poland, their membership and the way members are recruited, and AC functions and their relations with city authorities and community. The authors conclude by pointing to the pro-active role of ACs in local governance, but also indicate that their role as a stakeholder in co-governance requires them to contribute to policy decisions going beyond and above the advice and consultation provided so far.