PB in Action: Participatory Budgeting comes to East Ayrshire!

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June saw 2 Participatory Budgeting events in East Ayrshire. Starting in Mauchline on June 5th, Mauchline Matters offered community organisations/individuals the opportunity to bid for between £100 and £750 for projects in their local community. Groups were given up to 3 minutes to pitch their idea to the audience of local residents. Bids ranged from a children’s summer programme to community garden, from refurbishing a scout hall to a heritage trail.

18 projects were supported through this event.

 One of the successful projects, Mauchline Scouts commented: “It’s been great to see all the different projects going on in the village. There are a few things which I didn’t know about so for them to come along and share information has been good.”

The second event, Valley Ventures, was held in Darvel on June 25th. Groups from Newmilns and Darvel were invited to bid for up to £1000 to support projects in their communities. Again, a wide range of projects were bid for, including a Tipi for Scouts, soup pots for a community café, outdoor equipment for Beavers and a community walking festival.

15 projects were supported through this event.

The MC for the day, a well-known local, Reid Ross commented “It certainly allows local involvement, allows the local opinion to be heard rather than the decision being made somewhere else.”

Both of these events saw a variety of different methods of getting the message across to the audiences, including poems, a visit from the Gruffalo, a take on the 2 Ronnie’s “Fork Handles” sketch, flying bunting and music from members of a brass band!

These events were organised through East Ayrshire Council working in partnership with East Ayrshire Health and Social care Partnership, Community Led Action Plan Steering groups and Community Councils.

Each of the events had a steering group made up of representatives of the CLP group/Community Council, supported by Vibrant Communities staff. These groups linked with community organisations/individuals and dealt with local PR, shortlisting projects and the running of the events.

Projects applying had to fit with the Community Led Action Plan Priorities and/or the East Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership Key Outcomes.

The 2 steering groups have had meetings since their events and everyone involved thought it was a worthwhile venture, with offers to mentor future PB steering groups in East Ayrshire.

For more info contact Margaret MacBain at margaret.macbain@east-ayrshire.gov.uk    

Mauchline Matters                 

  • Valley Ventures

  • Refurbishment of Scout Hall

  •  Beechgrove Park Regeneration

  • Nursery Outdoors

  • Building the Ambition in Early Years

  • Mauchline CA Summer Club

  • After School Activities

  • Mauchline Curling Club

  • Boogie Bairns

  • Carols By Candlelight

  • Mauchline Community Growing Garden

  • Mauchline Parish & Community Heritage Project

  • Mauchline Local Directory

  • Mauchline Bowling Club

  • Off Peak Badminton Club - Catering

  • Young Farmers' Variety Concert

  • Alleringersleben v Mauchline

  • Mauchline Ballochmyle Angling Club

  • Social Evenings & Art Classes

Valley Ventures

  • Coffee Pot

  • Darvel Beavers

  • Newmilns Burns Club

  • Ayrshire (East) Foodbank

  • Players & Little Stars – PALS

  • Darvel Primary School

  • 24th Darvel Cubs

  • 24th Darvel Ayrshire Scouts

  • 16th Ayrshire Scouts – Tipi

  • Newmilns & Galston Brass Band

  • Darvel Improvement Group

  • Irvine Valley Regeneration Partnership

  • Newmilns & Greenholm Community Council

  • Newmilns Regeneration Association

  • Darvel Gala Committee

Projects who did not receive support at these events, including those who were not shortlisted to attend, are being offered support from the Community Investment Team to assist with identification of possible funders for their activities.