Thornhill Health PB residents celebrate one of their events
Your Community, Your Health is a health themed participatory budgeting project in Thornhill, Southampton.
Thornhill’s Community Health Group, comprising residents and agency representatives from Southampton City Council, Southampton City PCT and Thornhill Plus You, oversaw an annual funding stream provided by the PCT to tackle health inequalities in Thornhill. They first explored the idea of using PB to allocate funds in 2006, and in 2008 decided this was what they wanted to do. Once PCT and Southampton City Council approval was obtained for using PB, the group set about organising the process.
It has run continuously since then with increasing funds, and in subsequent the process was continually refined. For example anyone aged 12 or over from Thornhill, or belonging to a Thornhill group, may vote after hearing 3 minute verbal presentations. Community groups and not-for-profit organisations are invited to apply for grants of between £500 and £10,000 per year from the Thornhill Community Health Fund on projects that benefit the health of the local community.
Examples of resident feedback from the first event:
- "It felt really good and has to be one of the best things I’ve been involved in"
- "I couldn’t bring myself to leave…a good atmosphere, really exciting"
- "Big thanks for making my vote count"
- "Why has it taken us so long to hit on this way of doing things??!! Well done, a great success"
Cuts to national funding for public services meant that the money available reduced from 2012, but the available fund is still £50,000 per year.
- Read a case study on Participedia: Your Community, Your Health, Your Voice
- See the press article inviting residents to the 2014 process
