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Participatory budgeting voting open now

Bright coloured cardboard cut out hands in air with heart icons on palms

Now is the time for you to have your say on what community groups in your area deserve to receive a funding boost from the Council’s Participatory Budgeting Fund (PB).

300 nominations were received as community groups and organisations applied last month for their chance to be shortlisted to go to the next round of the public vote.

Voting opens today, Monday, 14 October 2024 via the Shaping North Ayrshire website.

The Council’s Connected Communities team – part of the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership, alongside their group of independent community reviewers have identified 186 locality and 114 youth projects that meet eligibility criteria.

Now it’s over to you, vote online now for who you want to see funded in your area.

There’s a total of £171,377 funding up for grabs for the community groups in need of a helping hand. But hurry! Voting ends at midnight on Friday, 8 November.

The funding this year will be part of two funding cycles:

  • Locality PB: Health and Wellbeing, Building Community Spirit, Cost of Living, Green Projects
  • Youth PB: Youth Voice and Rights, Health and Wellbeing, Cost of Living, Green Projects

Pupils across North Ayrshire secondary schools will also have the chance to vote online if they hold a Young Scot card or National Entitlement Card. Further support will be provided in schools for young people to vote with their Young Scot card or temporary numbers provided.

Participatory Budgeting is based on an ethos of ‘it’s your money, you decide’. It is a type of citizen participation where local people are involved in the process of deciding how public money - in this case the Council’s PB budget - is best spent.

Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities and Islands said: “Our residents know better than anyone else which projects will be the most beneficial to them in their local communities, so it is only fair that they have a direct say on how money is spent.

“We encourage residents to please take the time to read through ALL of the eligible projects in your locality so that you can make an informed choice of who needs the funding most and what would make the most impact locally. Voters can vote for up to three projects in their own locality.

“By getting involved in our participatory budgeting voting period, the Council look forward to working together with residents and the groups supporting our communities to raise their profile, provide support and build a thriving North Ayrshire for all.​”

Quote: The projects receiving the most votes by the end of the voting period will then be successfully funded from this year’s funding. It’s your money, you decide!

Quote from: Councillor Alan Hill,

Cabinet Member for Communities and Islands

To find out more projects that have been successful in previous funding cycles, check out the Shaping North Ayrshire website.

Published: 14 October 2024


Communities and local democracy