WIREDGOV

We've responded to the Communities and Local Government consultation on Participatory Budgeting - a draft national strategy.

We warmly welcome the Government’s intention to publish a Participatory Budgeting National Strategy and their ambition to see all Local Authorities using participatory budgeting by 2012.

We've followed this developing area of Government policy with interest and are pleased that in piloting approaches to participatory budgeting it has included rural local authority areas.

Between February 2007 and January 2008 we undertook a national inquiry to explore the barriers and challenges that inhibit rural communities having greater influence over local decisions, and local councillors from becoming stronger democratic champions acting on behalf of their communities.

Participatory budgeting principles have good potential to help local communities and their elected representatives have more influence over how their local taxes are being spent and become more active in local decision making and service delivery.

Read our full response

Find out more about our work on Active and Inclusive Representation and Decision-Making