Description
The aim of the project is to introduce participatory budgeting procedures in selected town and rural municipalities. The inhabitants are willing to participate in decision-making, but until now they weren't active in their communities. Local authorities want to include citizens and their opinions. The project activities will be led in the town of Krasnystaw and in the municipality of Rejowiec Fabryczny, both in Lubelskie voivodeship. The leader of the project, Social Activity Development Association, have agreed the project with authorities of both local government units. The project is directed to local governments and citizens. Implementation of participatory budgets will include activities such as public consultations, collecting civic projects, their selection and evaluation, as well as voting on them. Promoting the idea of participatory budgeting among citizens to encourage them to take part in the process will form an important part of the project. In addition to developing and implementing the procedures of participatory budget, the project will let us test the methods of participatory budget implementation in small town and rural municipality.
Summary of project results
"Local authorities in Krasnystaw from 2014, and in the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny from 2013, make efforts to use the available tools for including local inhabitants in planning of a part of the local budget. In Krasnystaw e.g. a competition was opened for proposals of tasks to be implemented under the participatory budget, and in the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny similar initiative was launched under the village fund. But the initiatives met with no considerable interest from local communities, and local authorities had no experience to enhance the processes. The aim of the project was to develop a methodology for implementation of participatory budgets in small towns and municipalities, and to use it in practice in Krasnystaw and in the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny. As a result of the project, many persons and local groups engaged in local development of their localities through participatory planning of local budgets. In Krasnystaw and Rejowiec Fabryczny, the procedures for civil budgets were developed and implemented. The growing interest of the inhabitants in local affairs is witnessed by their participation in votes concerning the budgets - in Krasnystaw 2607 persons, and in the villages of the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny 268 persons. In both localities, Committees for monitoring the implementation of civil budgets were created. The Committees became points of meetings and exchange of opinions between different groups and bodies. In addition, six open lectures and panel discussions on public participation were organised, as well as ten lessons and meetings with the youth on participation methods and 14 consultation meetings where the needs of inhabitants and defining priorities were discussed. A publication was prepared describing experiences and procedures for civil budget tested in municipality and small town, as well as two Internet pages being a forum for inhabitants. A conference promoting civil budgets was organised for neighbouring municipalities and localities. The project recipients were local inhabitants, councillors, officers and leaders, and non-governmental organisations in Krasnystaw and the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny. The partners - the Town Hall in Krasnystaw and the Municipal Hall in Rejowiec Fabryczny - were responsible for cooperation with the Committees and coordination of the process of civil budget implementation. Representatives of the partners also took part in public consultations."
Summary of bilateral results