John Dwyer, Police & Crime Commissioner for Cheshire is set to invest £30,000 in The Grange area of Runcorn in a one off pilot project where it will be the people of the Grange who will decide where the money will be spent. In a press release released on the 11th April 2014 John Dwyer… Read More
England
What's happening in Participatory Budgeting across England
East Luton participates in Your Say, Your Way
‘Your Say Your Way’ is a programme run by Luton Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Governance team. They want to make it easier for people to influence decisions in their neighbourhood. In October 2013 they held two Community Planning Decision Days which covered the 4 wards in the East Luton area where local people and organisations were… Read More
Durham wins LGC Local Council of the Year award
The Local Government Chronicle has named Durham County Council as Local Council of the year at the LGC awards 2014, held in London on the 12th March 2014. Durham was praised for "relations with local businesses, support for SMEs, real progress in community asset transfer and the contribution made to the wider area. This council… Read More
Municipal Journal features Durham Participatory Budgeting
Municipal Journal featured Durham County Council’s exciting work on Participatory Budgeting in its February 20th 2014 issue, highlighting the 19,000 residents who have directly participated in deciding on how to spend over £1.5m on local projects. Since its first PB event in March 2011 the council has hosted 40 events across it’s 14 Area Action… Read More
Participatory Budgeting "thriving" in Trafford
Conservative run Trafford Council have been running Participatory Budgeting small grant programmes for a number of years in a variety of settings. Cllr Karen Barclay, chairman of the South Locality Partnership, commenting in the Trafford Messenger said: “We are really excited about this opportunity to support the voluntary work in south Trafford…the South Locality Partnership… Read More
Otley Town Council uses Precept to run Participatory Budgeting
Otley residents were invited to submit project ideas for the town and help spend £10,000 during June 2013, with voting on the results in September 2013. This forms part of Otley Town Council’s drive towards local decision making and the introduction of participatory budgeting. Key to Voice Your Choice is that Otley residents participate in… Read More
Windsor and Maidenhead’s online Participatory Budgeting
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead runs an annual online public vote on projects that benefit the community. Voting in the latest round will close at 5pm on Monday 10 February 2014. Up to £50,000 has been allocated to help fund these local projects. Local groups can bid for up to £2,000 to support… Read More
Lord Stevens’ report into the future of policing recommends PB
The Independent Commission into the future of policing published its report ‘Policing for a Better Britain’ on the 25th November 2013. The Commission’s remit was as wide reaching as that of the Royal Commission on the Police undertaken fifty years ago. Otherwise known as the Stevens report, after the Chair of the Commission, with 37… Read More
Massive turnout for Durham PB events
Durham County Council has been leading on innovations in local authority wide PB, and this year have seen their efforts pay off with record breaking attendance, with 11,000 residents participating at their already popular local events. Not only in developing citizen led decision making on small grants, but linking this to wider budget consultation exercises…. Read More
Communities in the driving seat… Oldham Big Local tries PB
Around 250 residents of Oldham attended It’s Up2us on the 30th November 2013. Oldham Big Local is one of a number of newly emerging community led PB programmes. They recently made £15,000 available to local residents in three neighbourhoods to spend on projects to improve their local communities. They named their programme "It’s Up2us!" Following… Read More