Davy Jones Consultancy

Participatory Budgeting in Brighton

Davy Jones

East Sussex PB event in Lewes 14 May 2012

• New Green Council committed to Greener, fairer & more democratic city

• Greater budget consultation• Support for PB• Good local track record in

youth participation work

Davy Jones Consultancy

Background

• Discussion with councillors – agreement of Leader & Chair Education & Young People – summer 2011

• Discussions with Youth Commissioners & allocation of £20k budget – September / October

• Identifying support resources (Trust for Developing Communities) / budgets / location – November

• First (of nine) youth organising group meetings held on 16 Jan 2012

• Final PB public event held on 31 March 2012• Evaluation still being finalised• Commitment from Council to do again next year !

Davy Jones Consultancy

Chronology – very tight!

• TDC youth workers in Moulsecoomb & Bevendean created organising group of 13-19 year olds

• Group met nine times and agreed / arranged all aspect of the process / final event

• Big Dish Out logo• Advisory Group – Council Youth

Commissioner, PBU, TDC & People Can

• Twitter account, blog site and email set up

• Local & city-wide publicity

Davy Jones Consultancy

How process worked

• £19,000 to be distributed• £6,500 organising costs and £1,000 evaluation• Organising group had core of 8/9 young people – 15 in all at

9 meetings • Local young people and organisations in area invited to bid

for two pots -£15k (bids up to £3k) and £4k (bids up to £750) – simple application forms

• 16 bids (8 for each pot) received – value of £27k+• Stalls on the day and voting by local young people• 61 voted and projects worth £17k+ approved• Feedback from the day “very positive”

Davy Jones Consultancy

What happened?

• Longer timeframe for delivery• More resources & budget to run

process• Integrate evaluation from outset• More clarity on decision-making

powers of young people’s organising group

• Think through options for voting on the day more thoroughly

Davy Jones Consultancy

Lessons learned

Davy Jones Consultancy

Contact

Davy Jones

07932 616843davy@davyjonesconsultancy.co.u

k www.davyjonesconsultancy.co.uk

Twitter:@davyjones2