Principles of Participatory Budgeting
Local Ownership: Residents should be involved in setting budget priorities and identifying projects for public spend in their area wherever possible.
Direct Involvement: PB should involve direct as well as representative engagement.
Support for representative democracy: Participation mechanisms such as PB should be seen as supporting representative democracy rather than undermining it. PB can increase citizens’ trust of councillors and boost the role of ward councillors.
Mainstream Involvement: Over time PB processes should move towards residents being involved in decisions over mainstream budgets (as opposed to only small grants processes).
Accessibility: Participants must have good and clear access to PB processes.
Transparency: PB processes are designed to give citizens full and clear knowledge of public budgets in their area, even those over which they do not have a direct say.
Deliberation: PB processes should take citizens beyond personal choice and involve real deliberation around budget decisions
Empowerment: Citizens, officers, councillors and partners should plan and lead PB events together, demonstrating local people’s empowerment.
Shared responsibility: PB should build common purpose and a commitment from all stakeholders.