Description
The project is implemented in the municipality of Ostroróg in the county of Szamotuły. Its recipients are 12 village councils and inhabitants of 12 villages. Members of local councils lack the knowledge about the implementation of participatory budgeting of village funds. The citizens aren't ready to benefit from this tool. The project aims at preparing village councils and communities for planning, implementing, and clearing village funds, and for drafting Locality Development Plans for 2015-2020. It should enhance self-sufficiency of village government units in decision-making and analysing local issues. It should raise a sense of being real actors among local inhabitants. The project should build civic attitudes, activate inhabitants, and enhance citizens' initiatives through village development strategies. The partnership with municipality will give appropriate weight to the activities. Participation of local government workers in the workshops will make the village strategies more practical, while visits of the mayor and accepting the Locality Development Plans for 2015-2020 will be an additional reward for the work done by inhabitants.
Summary of project results
"In 2013, in the municipality of Ostroróg (Wielkopolskie voivodeship) the village fund was introduced. The mechanism was new and unfamiliar for local inhabitants and members of village councils, and as a result of it many mistakes were made in planning and clearing of the funds. For example, no action was taken to make villages more independent in implementing and managing village funds. Inhabitants did not participate in discussions on the development of the municipality. The aim of the project was to make 12 villages more independent in managing their village funds and enhancing implementation of activities important for inhabitants. Municipal Council in Ostroróg voted and accepted 12 village Development Plans for the years 2015-2020 prepared together with inhabitants. Village councils and local communities were trained to plan, implement and clear their village funds. 12 consultation workshops were conducted for 558 inhabitants, and 3 trainings (in all for 32 persons) on functioning of village funds were organised, as well as 12 village meetings where the project was summed up and the new village Development Plans were accepted. The Village Development Plans were developed jointly by inhabitants and Karolina Bloch from a consulting company. During consultation meetings, inhabitants diagnosed strong and weak points of their localities, opportunities and dangers, and the most important tasks to be implemented. Based on that, a strategy for activities in social and economic fields for the years 2015-2020 was developed. The plans were voted and accepted during the last meeting in each locality, taking the form of Village Meeting. 12 village councils and inhabitants of 12 localities were the recipients of the project. The partner, the Municipal Office in Ostroróg, coordinated the process of voting the village development plans and will guarantee their implementation. In addition, the mayor of the municipality took part in meetings organised to sum up the project. The treasurer of the municipality took part in all trainings, and the secretary together with one employee of the municipal office took part in all village meetings. For the project activities community rooms were also made available."
Summary of bilateral results