Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a process that gives people a direct say in the allocation of a portion of a public budget. PB can be effective in encouraging participation from marginalised individuals and communities, delivering tangible local change and enhancing public trust in local democracy. To achieve the full potential of PB it is important to go further, through mainstreaming its use, both to build scale and make public service delivery more responsive to local priorities. 1. Commitment to undertake a large scale Mainstreaming PB process delivered through existing resources to demonstrate and measure outcomes and impact at scale. 2. Cross party to support to promote the use of PB and to allocating a percentage of public resources via PB. 3. Investment in a core programme to move PB from incubation to consolidation over the next four years. 4.The DfC and DoF should lead on delivery by establishing a Region wide PB Strategic Group. Do you have other ideas?
Mainstreaming PB therefore implies both making public participation through PB a more frequent experience, and also embedding it within service planning. Ultimately, Greater public participation in decision making delivers better outcomes and improved services. Lets get commitments to deliver PB at scale!
PB could be used to distribute some of the new Rural Development Policy Framework funding when it launches towards the end of this year. Would be a great way of reaching people in rural communities who would be put off by more traditional forms of grant making.
This content is created by the open source Your Priorities citizen engagement platform designed by the non profit Citizens Foundation