COUNCILLORS TO BE GIVEN £2,000 WARD BUDGETS FOR ‘ONE EVENT ONLY’
Community clean ups or Big Lunch-type events are just some of the projects that could happen in residents’ local areas thanks to a new initiative that will see ward councillors each given control of a £2,000 ‘one event only’ budget, say Croydon council.
“Known as the community budget programme, it will be led by ward members but with the involvement of local residents, who will help prioritise how money is spent” said a council spokesperson.
It will see decisions taken outside of the Town Hall and into the community.
Each ward will have a dedicated website to enable communities to engage and have their say.
The money could be spent on community events and projects such as refurbishing or cleaning up parts of a local area.
It must be spent on a one-off item or issue which is important within the ward.
Councillors will also have to account for what the money is spent on each year.
The programme is due to be launched in June.
Croydon council leader Cllr Tony Newman said: “This will take politics out of the town hall and into communities, giving ward members the power to control a small budget, which will be spent on projects that are important to their local residents.
“It will help councillors connect with their wards and see to it that local priorities are met, whether it’s a community clean-up day, a Big Lunch-type event or a new park bench.
“In what is yet another contribution to our devolution agenda, allocating ward budgets will make a real difference to people’s lives and enable councillors to work alongside residents to deliver improvements to where they live.” (Source: Croydon council press release)
