Participatory budgeting

Participatory budgeting engages people in taking decisions on the spending priorities for a defined public budget in their local area. This means engaging residents and community groups to discuss spending priorities, make spending proposals, and vote on them, as well giving local people a role in the scrutiny and monitoring of the process  

Participatory budgeting engages people in taking decisions on the spending priorities for a defined public budget in their local area. This means engaging residents and community groups to discuss spending priorities, make spending proposals, and vote on them, as well giving local people a role in the scrutiny and monitoring of the process 

In Cumbria a form of participatory budgeting has been around for a long time through the Neighbourhood Forum Grants mechanism. They are available for any non-profit making organisation that is involved in helping local residents. Last year Neighbourhood Forums awarded grants to 965 schemes. Each of the 60+ forums has a grants budget and each area also has its own priorities. Grants are administered on at local level where members of the public attending the forum vote on the allocation.

For more information please visit the participatory budgeting unit website. 

Download: Participatory Budgeting Briefing Paper.