Aims and definition
Aim
The Council believes that participatory budgeting (PB) is one of the key ways to achieve successful change and continuous improvement in the provision of Council services. The Council wishes to increase community participation and open up more inclusive ways of working with citizens, people with lived experience, families, carers and service providers in shaping services so that shared decision-making becomes the norm.
Definition
Participatory budgeting helps to achieve better outcomes for individuals and communities by involving and engaging local people in having a direct say in how public money is spent in their community. Resources are allocated through a process of community participation in the decision-making process, in order to meet identified local need.
Adoption of a PB-based approach can contribute positively to the following outcomes:
- Developing a more engaged community
- Empowering local individuals and community groups, particularly those traditionally excluded or suffering from inequalities
- Increasing community cohesion
- Strengthening local democracy
- Improving quality of life
- Devolving decision making to meet locally defined need and
- Supporting effective service design.