Participatory budget
A participatory budget (PB) is a living process in which a local authority allows residents to discuss and take part in decisions on part of the budget or on the development of their municipality or town. To manage PB, we have created the cloud solution HLAS OBČANOV.
Citizens become part of the decision-making process, for example on priorities, resources and serious or sensitive issues. This creates synergy: the efforts of people and the local authority are combined.
On the one hand, the local authority is responsive to people’s needs. On the other hand, people are open and willing to contribute their own effort, experience and knowledge to fulfilling the local authority’s objectives.
Although PB is a trendy THING, it is not a superficial process. Its benefits are GOOD RELATIONSHIPS and MEANINGFUL PROJECTS. All of this can be achieved if PB is carried out conscientiously and the staff of the authority are an important part of it.
1.
Call and funding
The local authority sets aside part of its annual budget and publishes a call
2.
Mapping problems
Public meetings devoted to identifying priorities and people’s needs, focused on collecting proposals, ideas and assignments. The output is a set of basic thematic areas that are worth addressing.
3.
First ideas and proposals
Residents submit proposals, ideas and assignments that could be financed from the allocated resources in the following year.
4.
Public meetings
While these proposals are being prepared, residents meet at public meetings with the support of the local authority. Here they discuss what they want to change in their municipality or town and how they themselves will lend a hand.
5.
Assessment of proposals
The joint proposals are later submitted to the local authority for assessment in terms of feasibility, property relations and similar matters.
6.
Deliberation and voting
The process continues with deliberation and voting on which proposals will be financed from the local authority’s budget.
7.
Voting
The HLAS OBČANOV application
8.
Implementation
Implementation takes place with the local authority providing support to the project implementers.