There is increasing discussion of how people and communities can have more voice and influence. Participatory Budgeting has an excellent track record in achieving effective and genuine involvement and empowering citizens, but in this country has mostly been used for small local grant funding. This exciting event in West Yorkshire will hear about how Tower Hamlets have used PB for major budget decisions, and provide an opportunity to participate in the discussion you want to have about making it work in your locality.

Who is this event for?
This event is for community groups, councillors, staff working with communities from Councils, Health, Police, and anyone interested in people having a greater say in decision making.

Programme

9:30am registration and refreshments

10 A fish bowl conversation with Chris Parsons and a Scarborough council officer. Chris is the Chair of the Eastfield Neighbourhood Partnership in Scarborough. Coming from different backgrounds they have had an invigorating experience of working on Participatory Budgeting in recent years.

10:30 key note speaker: Shazia Hussain, the Director of the Tower Hamlets Partnership, who helped local residents decide themselves how £4.8 million of council money was spent effectively.

11 "How best can communities be involved in deciding how public sector money is spent locally?" Using an Open Space format this lively discussion will involve movement and initiative so all of us can contribute and get what we need from dialogue with each other.

1pm lunch and networking

2pm finish


Book online at www.yhep.org.uk, or get a booking form from mail@cogs.uk.net. If you need help with travel (within West Yorkshire) or childcare costs to be able to participate, please email or ring COGS on 0113 373 1751 as soon as you can, and by 11 November at the latest.

This event is supported by COGS, the Participatory Budgeting Unit, the People's Budget Campaign, Rural Action Yorkshire, YC Change Consultants, and the Yorkshire & Humber Empowerment Partnership.

Tweet about it with #peoplepowermoney and follow @peoplesbudgetuk

Venue information
The St George's Centre is next to St George's Church on Great George Street, Leeds in Leeds (LS1 3BR). It is accessible to wheelchair users. It is easily accessible by public transport and with plenty of city centre car parks within a few minutes.