Participatory Budgeting in the UK

Participatory budgeting directly involves local people in making decisions on the spending and priorities for a defined public budget.

The "Participatory Budgeting Unit" was a project of the charity Church Action on Poverty that ran from 2000 to 2012. The project aimed to support the public sector and community groups in developing participatory budgeting processes in the UK. This website represents an archive of that work and contains many useful resources.

The PB Network

is the new, independent body advocating for new learning and innovations in Participatory Budgeting (PB). With a lightweight structure and a small volunteer steering group the network puts on learning events, publishes policy related papers and stimulates debate on where PB might go next.

PB Partners

If you have an inquiry about Participatory Budgeting (PB), or wish to find an expert to support your PB work, visit PB Partners, the new consultancy for PB in the UK. See www.pbpartners.org.uk

To find out more about the PB Unit and its legacy, or to ask any questions about PB you can also use the contact form on this website

Join discussions and find news on the PB in the UK Facebook group

Join The PB in the UK group on LinkedIn

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Copyright 2007, by the Contributing Authors. Cite/attribute Resource. admin. (2007, April 02). Participatory Budgeting in the UK. Retrieved May 20, 2013, from Participatory Budgeting Unit Web site: http://www.participatorybudgeting.org.uk/front-page. All Rights Reserved.

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Teresa and Sue in Manton, Nottinghamshire

“ Over the past seven years, Sue and Teresa have helped Manton Community Alliance transform Manton almost beyond recognition. What particularly appealed to them was the participative approach to community development, initially via participatory appraisal and then participatory budgeting. It is an approach centred on the importance of valuing the knowledge and experience of local people and empowering them to identify their own priorities, find solutions to the problems affecting them and to make their own decisions about how public money should be spent. ”

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Teresa and Sue in Manton, Nottinghamshire

Case Study

Miles Platting Decided!

“ On Saturday 12th November 2011 residents in Miles Platting were given the chance to take a lead in improving their own neighbourhood thanks to Miles Platting: You Decide, a new project from Adactus Housing Association. ”

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Video

Richard Edwards speaking about PB in Manton

“ Richard Edwards speaking at the Scottish Participatory Democracy Conference, held on the 13th June 2012 in Fife, attended by Derek McKay, the Scottish Minister for Local Government and Planning. Richard was speaking speaking about his experiences of Participatory Budgeting in Manton. ”

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Blog: The new PB Network and free resources Feb 25, 2013; We need to move beyond the ‘Councillors know best’ approach in Edinburgh Apr 17, 2012; Participatory budgeting in the big apple Apr 10, 2012; We the people will decide how the money will be spent: Reclaiming power, politics and money for the Common Good Apr 02, 2012; Where is the empowerment when you only let me have a go once? Mar 21, 2012; [More]

Tweets by @PBUnit

Events: The People's Budget workshop at TPAS conference Jul 17, 2012; PB Masterclass: PB in the town & parish council context Jun 20, 2012; The People's Budget workshop Jun 18, 2012; [More]