In order to decentralize control over public budgets and improve democratic engagement, particularly regarding services, the UK implemented a nationwide neighbourhood participatory budgeting program, now referred to as "Our Place".
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Problems and Purpose
The UK's nationwide pilot program for neighbourhood community budgets were designed as an initiative of a policy to decentralize power and control over delivering public services [1]. The programme's stated focus was on[1]:
- Co-design
- Exploring the scales at which decentralisation of services works best
- Assessing community capacity and appetite
- Bringing in community resources
- Sharing learning
- Understanding the cost effectiveness of neighbourhood budgeting
The "prospectus set out the timetable for the development of Neighbourhood Community Budgets as from October 2011 to April 2013, with co-design running from February to December 2012 and culminating in Operational Plans ready for implementation in April 2013" [1]. It delineated the expectations in what is known as its Operational Plan.
The programme has been extended beyond the 12 pilot areas and launched as the Our Place programme in 2014.
Background History and Context
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
Participant Recruitment and Selection
Methods and Tools Used
This initiative uses participatory budgeting, an increasingly common method of democratic innovation broadly described as "a decision-making process through which citizens deliberate and negotiate over the distribution of public resources." There are many benefits associated with participatory budgeting including increased civic and democratic education; increased government transparency; and an increased opportunity for participation by historically marginalized populations [1].
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
Analysis and Lessons Learned
See Also
Participatory Budgeting: Porto Alegre 2005-2007
References
[1] Rutherfoord, R., Spurling, L., Busby, A., Watts, B. (2013). Neighbourhood Community Budget Pilot Programme: Research, Learning, Evaluation and Lessons. Department for Communities and Local Government. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil...
External Links
http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/ourplace/
2010 to 2015 government policy: local government spending
Building relationships through participatory budgeting/openDemocracy
Our Place Pioneers – Bright Ideas Group
Notes
Lead Image: Evaluating Our Place/mycommunity.org https://goo.gl/RxVhWN