Participatory Budgeting and Participatory Approaches
One of the key elements of the white paper has been the further endorsement of Participatory Budgeting. This National Strategy highlights that CentralGovernment anticipates all Local Authority areas will be practicing some form of Participatory Budgeting by 2012
How far Local Authorities grasp Participatory Budgeting within departments will very much depend on their commitment to the process from LSP level in Local Government , through Departments, Elected Members, Police Forces etc. and how this filiters down to grass roots level.
‘Community Kitties’ or Community Decision Making on Spend
Participatory Budgeting Pilots have already highlighted their successes and commitment to a Participatory Budgeting approach. Many of these are however piloting community involvement around ‘community kitties’ expenditure where local groups / community members vote for projects, initiatives and schemes. This is all positive but there is a Central Government expectation that over time local people and communities will be making decisions on public service provision, Area or Ward based budgets, crime reduction initiatives and so on, all in greater detail.
NIF believes that Participatory Budgeting should be a participatory process and that practical methods and techniques can be used to engage community members in the decision making process and in doing so engage those who don’t necessarily take part.
As noted in the Community Empowerment White Paper“Participatory Budgeting is seen as a key way of promoting democracy through participation and empowerment.It will also be key to devolving power to communities , allowing them to make decisions about their local area”.
Making Participatory Budgeting Real
The Participatory Budgeting process can be defined by geographical area (whether that’s neighbourhood or larger) or by theme. This means engaging with residents and community group representatives of all parts of the community to discuss and vote on spending priorities, make spending proposals, and, as well, give local people a role in the scrutiny and monitoring of the process and results.
What NIF can offer
If there is an expectation that Participatory Budgeting will directly involve local people in making decisions on the spending and priorities for a defined public budget, it is evident that before the community are involved in such decision making there needs to have been effective levels of consultation and prioritisation before the ‘community’ can highlight what its priorities are.
There are, however, many concerns about re-consulting with communities.One of these for example is around scepticism relating to “consultation fatigue”.Here we go again consulting with the community and we already know what their priorities are.
Apathy in relation to getting other people involved – concerns about people not getting involved – its left down to the usual suspects.
Positive Points
Effective community consultation can engage those who don’t usually get involved. It is also important to consider making an effort to engage other community members so that is does not become a process where ‘the usual suspects’ are making all the decisions.
Genuine and effective consultation and prioritisiation processes could evidently highlight the community’s real priorities which would lead on to an open and transparent participatory budgeting process.
Planning for Real® aids Participatory Budgeting
There are certain to be a number of different ways to engage communities in Participatory Budgeting and there is clearly an opportunity for processes like Planning for Real® to be used as a prerequisite to this:
The Joined Up Approach highlights how both processes can be closely linked:
The Joined Up Approach
Stage 1
Consultation around Themes e.g. Traffic, Crime & Safety or Area Based
Stage 2
Feedback on Community Views
Stage 3
Prioritisation and Action Planning – Communities helping to set Priorities
Stage 4
Who should be involved – Potential Stakeholders Highlighted
Stage 5
Feedback on Priorities
Stage 6
Stakeholders review existing Action Plans against consultation views & priorities
Stage 7
Scoping exercise to highlight opportunities / areas for community involvement in Participatory Budgeting based on the highlighted Priorities
