Northern Ireland

There is no specific legislation on PB in the country.

Participatory Budgeting processes have been delivered and led through strong partnership working, whether through Community Planning Partnerships, Police and Community Safety Partnerships; or Housing Associations and Community Network organizations working with a range of partners. This has helped to pool resources (money, support, communications, local knowledge, people power) and share risks of a process which is relatively new to the region. To date small grant making PB approaches have been the model used. There is an ambition to ‘scale-up’ PB and to connect it to strategic policies and mainstream resources.

A “PB Works” Network (cross sector partners) managed by Community Places, has worked to create an enabling environment for PB, raising awareness and sharing learning from PB practice. An emphasis has been placed on developing quality PB which genuinely puts people in the lead and is tailored to the local context. Two processes have focused on Youth Participatory Budgeting, with younger people meaningfully involved in the planning, design and promotion of the PB process.

The concept of PB was first promoted in the region through the work of the Building Change Trust / Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and the expertise of Jez Hall from PB Partners. As a result of hearing about PB Triangle Housing Association saw a clear fit with their principles and values and undertook a small PB process with their tenants. Building Change Trust then resourced the PB Works project, managed by Community Places, in 2017 to raise awareness of PB, create an enabling environment and to support local PB grant making processes. PB Partners has been a critical friend and mentor to PB Works. Since 2017 we have also learned much from colleagues at PB Scotland and the Scottish Government as they embed Community Empowerment, mainstream PB through 1% PB commitment and explore digital PB.

The first iteration of PB projects supported through the PB Works Project have been used to share learning, promote good practice and develop a network of those interested in developing Participatory Budgeting across the region. As a result, examples of PB have developed within the thematic areas of Community Planning, Housing, Policing and Community Safety, Youth and Health and Wellbeing. Learning from a youth focused PB process Youth Leading the Change, in Newry Mourne and Down has supported two other youth focused PB processes in the region - the Garvagh Forest Big Dish Out and Youth Making a Difference in Derry and Strabane District Council.

1. PB have been suspended: 0%
2. PB continued to function normally: 20%
3. PB have undergone changes/adaptations: 80%  

Two PB processes were able to continue relatively unaffected by COVID-19- as they were both at project delivery phase. The other PB processes have been delayed and it is likely that they will move on-line, with a blended approach of off and on line, if possible, to address issues caused by the digital divide, particularly given the rural nature of many of the areas involved. The Tak500 PB process has moved online with a positive result in that rather than operating at a smaller geographic level of District Electoral Area it is now operating across the entire District Council Area. Many of the agreed themes/focus of the PB processes may be revised to reflect the impact of Covid-19 and promote recovery and renewal.

The experience of one of the PB processes, the Armoy Open Pot, has been that as a result of renewed relationships, trust and sense of connection which emerged through the PB process the community has been able to respond to the Covid-19 crisis more effectively and has become more resilient e.g., the number of people volunteering in the community has increased dramatically

There has been a healthy and positive discussion on the role which PB can play in responding to the pandemic. Particularly, how it can be used to build on and sustain re-invigorated relationships between the Community and Voluntary Sector and Local and Central Government; strengthen community connections and build trust (particularly relevant in a post conflict society) re-balance power dynamics; genuinely empower local communities and contribute to a more equitable future.

A report of a recent Zoom-shop (July 2020) entitled: ‘PB’s Role in post Covid Recovery and Renewal’ can be found here: http://www.participatorybudgetingworks.org/uploads/files/lists/pbs-role-in-post-covid-recovery-and-renewal-25june-2020-20200706120034.pdf