Participatory Budgeting
Workshop idea by Alan Budge
All of the workshops at Local Democracy for Everyone have been created by our participants. We’re sharing a summary of each workshop idea to help you decide what you’d most like to participate in – and so that everyone can start to share their comments about each idea.
Participatory Budgeting
The challenge:
How can Participatory Budgeting – where people vote directly on the allocation of resources in their communities – contribute to addressing the current ‘democratic deficit’?
This interactive workshop offers the opportunity to explore the basic theory and practice of Participatory Budgeting. It will include a short introduction to Participatory Budgeting, then offer participants the opportunity to work together to consider the benefits and challenges of Participatory Budgeting as a means of resource allocation, and community empowerment.
In my experience, Participatory Budgeting gives residents a sense of genuine influence in their communities, as well as having the potential to re-fashion relationships between communities, officers and elected members.
#notwestminster #PB
Alan Budge
PB Partners
Alan has worked with PB Partners (and its predecessor, the PB Unit) supporting UK-wide Participatory Budgeting initiatives for over 10 years. PB Partners are currently working with Greater Manchester Police, rolling out Participatory Budgeting in areas vulnerable to organised crime activity, as well as supporting a Scottish Government-sponsored Participatory Budgeting Initiative across Scotland.
Previously, Alan worked as a Neighbourhood Partnership Manager for Bradford Vision, a Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). He played a key role in the development of their pioneering participatory grant-making programme, responsible for the allocation of over £1m of Neighbourhood Renewal funds.
We are #Notwestminster 