Since 2011 a few districts of New York have seen Participatory Budgeting (PB) become a regular annual event. Based on the success of those early programmes now it is growing to encompass almost half of the city. More and more councilmen and women are choosing to include it in their promise to electors. Last April… Read More
You Say, We Pay… Participatory Budgeting in Stockport
In 2010 Stockport Council began using Participatory Budgeting(PB) in neighbourhoods such as Brinnington. This short film records some of the early processes they used, and the positive reactions of local people. In later years Stockport Council has continued to use PB in a variety of ways, including with businesses and in other localities. To find… Read More
How budgets should help realise human rights
Governments’ budgets are fundamentally about people’s human rights. They are the central means by which governments provide people with access to quality education, decent health care services, a safe working environment, potable water, and goods and services essential for lives with dignity. Article 2 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights sets… Read More
Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner mobilises 700 residents to get involved
Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner John Dyer recently trusted residents of Grange in Runcorn with part of his budget, and the results have paid off. In a recent press release it is reported… The ten projects with the highest number of votes by the community of The Grange in Runcorn were announced at a packed… Read More
What happened when the city of Boston asked teenagers for help with the budget
In the USA they take a more direct approach to their politics. This report, from Hollie Russon Gilman describes a recent initiative in Boston that has re-energised youth participation and changed the way the budget is decided. This extract shows that Boston remains at the forefront of democratic innovation, hunderds of years after that memorable… Read More
PB Network Steering Group meets in Manchester
Members of the PB Network’s Steering Group met at the Manchester office of Church Action on Poverty in late June 2014, to discuss strengthening the structure and widening the impact of the Network. As an unfunded body we rely on input from members and supporters. Our Steering Group is guiding those who have been carrying… Read More
TravelSMART funds £1m of community transport projects in Surrey
Surrey County Council have been using Participatory Budgeting to share £1m of funding between various communities in Surrey. The aim of the TravelSMART community funding is to make the county a better place for residents, by improving public transport, encouraging cycling and cutting carbon emissions. Harris Vallianatos, Sustainable Transport Officer at Surrey County Council recently… Read More
PB Partners joins the Big Local spring roadshow
PB Partners will be presenting workshops on community led PB as part of the upcoming round of Big Local Trust Roadshows. Participatory Budgeting has been used successfully in a number of Big Local groups, from Devon and Cornwall in the South West up to Oldham in the North. As part of an ongoing connection with… Read More
Rusholme residents vote in Manchester City Council funded U-Decide
As reported in the Manchester Community Central e-bulletin, Manchester City Council have money to invest in the Rusholme area to support projects that will benefit the local community.Groups may submit an application up to a maximum value of £2,000 and all project ideas must benefit the Rusholme Community. Project ideas must be submitted by 23… Read More
Manchester the venue for June 2014 PB Network gathering
The PB Network is holding an informal conversation about the future of the PB Network, and directions for PB to develop in the coming years. The conversation will feed into new ideas for structuring the Network to be responsive to the needs of potential members. We’ll also review the responses from the PB Survey 2014,… Read More