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Power to the people

With voter turnout at record lows, several councils are searching further and further afield for effective ways to address the democratic deficit. One idea, which comes all the way from Brazil, is called ‘Participatory Budgeting.’ Its name may not off the tongue, but the idea is simple - and it’s bringing a range of benefits to those bold enough to try. (Local Government Chronicle, May 2007)

Under the scheme, community groups first meet with officers to discuss local priorities. Then, they are invited to present their proposals in front of a public audience, which decides which projects to fund. It may sound like giving away the keys of the town hall, but 300 local authorities are now using it worldwide.

But giving residents a budget does not just give them a voice. There are suggestions that it can also result in better quality projects. Because of the transparency of the process, links are made between organisations submitting ideas that otherwise may not happen.

And people are more honest about what their proposals will cost, and what they will achieve. The only negative feedback has been people wishing more money was available.

Build a strong brand

Encouraging communities to take part in a new initiative is never easy, and the name ‘participatory budgeting’ certainly won’t help.

“It’s not the most palatable of terms,” admits Neil Smith, a policy officer at Newcastle City Council, which last year used PB to allocate £60,000 to its cleaner, safer, greener communities programme and its scheme for children and young people.

However, the council knew a strong brand was important, and that it would be best if it came from the community. The resultant ‘U-Decide’ theme, with it’s visually attractive £ signs, was designed by and for the local people.

Involving the community has really paid off. In an evaluation of a recent ‘decision day’ more than 70% of participants thought U-Decide was good for the neighbourhood, a good way of getting people involved, and said they would take part in the process again.

What’s more, it didn’t just attract the “same faces”; forty percent of those attending had not previously taken part in community events.

Mr Smith is convinced of the benefits of PB in Newcastle. He says its transparency means myths about how money is spent are avoided. And because voting is done electronically and on the spot, it speeds up the process.

The policy officer enthuses: “It’s quicker, and having been involved in the decision-making, people feel better about themselves and their community.”

Do not underestimate community interest

Neither Wrexham CBC or the Welsh Assembly could be encouraged to pilot a PB scheme in north Wales. Instead, two local community organisations said they would like to give it a try.

Coedpoeth Community Council saw it as a way to improve local democracy. “Most of our own councillors are co-opted, so are they truly representative and making the right decisions?” asks Peter Webber, its chairman.

Community organisation, Together Creating Communities, helped the council set it up and run it in a local junior school

“We felt it would be a useful part of educating young people about citizenship,” explains Mr Webber. “It was very interesting, the children came up with the same ideas.”

The main idea to arise was for a new pedestrian crossing, but the budget council not stretch to it. But the community council is trying to respond to local opinion by getting one eventually.

There have been other benefits as well, adds Mr Webber. People have started to talk to one another, and have produced other ideas for improving the village. Several local voluntary groups, like Help the Aged, are also now planning to use PB, and it is hoped that a PB Organiser will encourage other communities to follow suit.

Give it time to work

The process needs time to become effective, says Dave Logan, the acting Operations Manager at Sunderland’s New Deal for Communities - one of the first areas to pilot PB.

The £54m regeneration programme has used PB to distribute £100,000 through its ‘People’s Fund,’ and an additional £50,000 has been allocated for each of the NDC’s remaining four years.

“At first, people didn’t have the experience of sitting on panels and they didn’t feel comfortable making decisions that affected their community, but after several rounds of practice, decision making has improved,” he recalls.

Initially, Mr Logan explains, people voted on emotional grounds, backing the projects that they liked. But now they are putting what he calls ‘maturity’ into their decisions, looking at need rather than want and voting for projects benefiting the most.

“The PB process has grown and evolved; it needed that lead-in,“ he says.

The PB Unit helps schemes get established. It was set up by Church Action on Poverty to help communities trail participatory budgeting by giving technical and practical support.

Consider different models

Salford City Council has devolved budgets to its local communities since 1999/2000. Every year the council distributes what is now £40,000-£70,000 (£2.50 per head of population) to each of its eight Community Committees, where councillors and local people decide on ward priorities.

Purists may feel that the involvement of councillors means it is not true PB. “Legally speaking councillors make the decisions,” admits Neighbourhood Manager, Mick Walbank, “but unless councillors veto them then it is the Community Committee, which only has one or two councillors, that decides.”

Models do not have to be the same and there are other salient features of the Salford budget. “The money we allocate is not time limited, it is not regeneration money and some of it runs from year to year,” adds Mr Walbank. "This provides community organisations with security and a platform on which to develop – we want to make life easy for them.”

And as budgets have increased, says Mr Walbank, committees have become more strategic in their decision-making. Instead of leaning towards ‘reactive small grant’ funding, they are more pro-active and paying for projects to address local needs such as crime and disorder, childcare or the environment.

Get councillors involved

As a new way of allocating money, some councillors may be sceptical of PB, so it is important to get them on board.

“We had to convince people PB was a robust process,” says Pam Hardisty, Director of Neighbourhood Renewal at Bradford Vision, the city’s Local Strategic Partnership. Since 2004 it has allocated over £700,000 using PB since 2004.

Councillors were worried that budgets did not make financial sense, says Ms Hardisty. “Everyone is concerned about value for money, especially when resources are tight,” she adds.

To alleviate concerns councillors were invited to watch the PB process in action, funding applicants were told they had to work with existing partnerships, and the LSP made sure successful projects were properly supported and monitored.

It allows councillors to take a greater role in their wards by influencing the PB budget available broadly were resources are spent.

“Not all members think PB is a good idea – that would be unusual”, admits Ms Hardisty. But by encouraging new people and new ideas to come forward, she says, PB is re-engaging people in local democracy.

Find out more

Participatory Budgeting Unit

Set up by Church Action on Poverty, the Unit helps councils and others interested to trial and develop PB. Through its staff and networking groups the Unit offers technical support, facilitation of meetings, research, and assistance with monitoring and evaluation. Tel. 0161 236 9321 mail@participatorybudgeting.org.uk
www.participatorybudgeting.org.uk

List of contacts

Bradford Vision – Pam Hardisty 01274 431277
Coedpoeth Community Council – Peter Weber 01978 755857
Together Creating Communities - Chris Pilsbury 01978 262588
Newcastle City Council - Neil Smith 0191 2115893
Salford City Council - Mick Walbank 0161 7894008
Sunderland NDC - Dave Logan 0191 5689311

© Robert Bullard. Not for reproduction without prior permission
 

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