How is participatory budgeting linked to municipal decentralisation?

Participatory Budgeting processes are strongly linked to the de-concentration of municipal services and the decentralisation of power within the municipality. In certain cities, the process of intra-municipal decentralisation precedes the Participatory Budget, which is built upon the cities’ physical divisions (regional administrations, districts, zones, etc.). Conversely, in other cities, the Participatory Budget comes before the process of intra-municipal decentralisation.

In the UK, some PB projects are being used to form part of the move from two-tier to unitary status, for example, Wiltshire and Cornwall.  Overall, the empowerment agenda is seen as a mechanism of devolving power from local government to communities and participatory budgeting sits within that policy.