PB Partners held a free introduction to the principles and practice of Participatory Budgeting, delivered in conjunction with the Wales Open Government Network and ERS Cymru on the 18th April 2018.
At this interactive workshop at Butetown Community Centre in Cardiff we introduced best practice in participatory budgeting (PB), built on years of experience in England, Scotland and Wales.
Attendees came from a huge range of organisations, including the Welsh Government, local councils, housing associations, and the voluntary and community sector.
Since it first came to the UK over 10 years ago participatory budgeting has evolved from a means to distribute grants in communities into a well articulated methodology for public sector commissioning and open government, that puts citizens in the driving seat.
Facilitated by Alan Budge and Jez Hall, leading Participatory Budgeting practitioners, this introduction was essential learning for anyone with an interest in citizen empowerment.
- Download the presentation given at the event
- Watch the two films shown at the event:
The ever popular PB in Blaenau Gwent 2010
The Church of Scotland What is PB 3 minute animation - Read the Blog by Jez Hall on a PB Welsh national budget on the IWA website
The event was delivered in Partnership with the Wales Open Government Network and Electoral Reform Society Cymru.
The Wales Open Government Network is a coalition of active citizens and civil society organisations committed to making Welsh government work better for people through enhanced transparency, participation and accountability, hosted in Wales by WCVA. Participatory Budgeting has been highlighted as a potential theme for an Open Government Action Plan commitment for the next Welsh Government Open Government Action Plan 2018-20. To get involved and connect, visit: https://www.wcva.org.uk/what-we-do/open-government-wales-project
ERS Cymru works to make a better democracy in Wales and one of our key aims is to breach the gap between people and politics. Our recent ‘Missing Voices’ report explored how people really feel about politics and our major findings were of the confusion and frustration that people in Wales feel about our political system. PB is an opportunity, if done properly, to give people a real say in how things that matter to them- local services, health, education and roads to name but a few- are run and how they are funded. We are delighted to support this event. See: https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/ers-cymru/