Introducing the PB Charter for Scotland
/PB Scotland and the Scottish Government have launched the Participatory Budgeting Charter for Scotland.
The PB Charter is a set of seven key features showing what a fair and high quality PB process should look like. It aims to ensure PB is inclusive, uses good quality methods and is truly participative.
With PB increasingly becoming a central part of how decisions are made, the charter's seven features show what needs to be considered to make sure participatory budgeting is:
Fair and inclusive
Participatory
Deliberative
Empowering
Creative and flexible
Transparent
Part of our democracy
The PB Charter is for everyone involved in a participatory budgeting process - whether they're planning an event or going along to vote - and has been Crystal Marked by the Plain English Campaign.
The charter is a co-produced resource, developed by people with experience of PB processes in Scotland, including those from equality groups, community organisations and public bodies.
SCDC Director, Fiona Garven, said:
"We're delighted to be launching the PB Charter for Scotland, a major part of the work of PB Scotland this year.
"With people, communities and organisations from across Scotland co-producing its development over the last 12 months, the charter sets out what high quality participatory budgeting practice looks like.
"PB is an innovative and empowering way for people and communities to vote on the decisions important to them. As PB develops, we're also seeing how it can encourage wider involvement in decision making and act as a way to further develop Scotland's participatory democracy.
"The charter sits alongside other resources such as the National Standards for Community Engagement and the work by Glasgow Disability Alliance to ensure PB is inclusive, participative and, crucially, works to address the inequalities that exist within our communities.
"We look forward to seeing the charter in action and we'll be supporting its use and development over the coming months."
More here.
