INVOLVING MORE PEOPLE IN DECISION MAKING Participatory Budgeting Jargon roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING WIKIPIDEDIA http://www.pbbuffalo.org/images/ho w-it-works.png Participatory budgeting (PB) is a process of democratic deliberation and decision- making, and a type of participatory democracy, in which ordinary people decide how to allocate part of a municipal or public budget. roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

VARIOUS TOOLS MINI PUBLIC Great for addressing barriers to involvement Great for ensuring diversity Great for complex decisions BIG VOTES Great for showing lots of people they have influence Great for showing broad public support for projects roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

Our pilot Mini Public experience Recruitment, Dialogue & Deliberation We did manage to recruit a ‘Mini Public’ whom recognised themselves as a diverse and representative group and would not have been involved otherwise Dialogue about the applications Considering applications from a variety of perspectives Comparing the options based on experience and evidence. NEED VISION VIABILITY Deliberation Weighing up the Options Agree on final funded projects and rationale roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

Marr Mini Public Thumb-o-meter If local people are given the time and space to discuss an issue they will be able to weigh up the evidence and make an informed recommendation? Mini Public Participants 11/11 said YES-Thumbs Up Joint Area Meeting %100 said YES-Thumbs Up Have you been involved in decision making about budgets or services before? Mini Public Participants 10/11 said NO-Thumbs Down roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

MINI PUBLIC PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCE ‘’I came here today knowing which project I was going to vote for and I’ve totally changed my mind listening to all the different perspectives and views’’ roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

MINI PUBLIC PANEL EXPERIENCE ‘’I arrived with an opinion £28000 should be spent on one project. By the end of the session I voted on a different proposal & final decision. Wow! Great experience. Thanks 4 opportunity.’’ roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

‘’I thought we would have been talked at, however we were given the chance to speak’’ roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

‘’A lot to think about, more than I expected ‘’A lot to think about, more than I expected. Brain exhausted but great overall feeling of a great decision being made’’ roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk

WHAT NEXT? Where decisions are being made it becomes standard practice to consider wider public participation in those decisions Deeper understanding of appropriate tools locally Ask us for support roisin@marrareapartnership.org.uk