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Community Choices fund: new money for participatory budgeting

(adapted from an email from Citizen Participation Network.)

New: Community Choices Fund announced for 2017/18

The Scottish Government has announced the £1.5 million fund will be open for applications until 21st July 2017.

First launched in 2016/17, the Community Choices Fund has supported participatory budgeting (PB) in Scotland.

For 2017/18, £1.5 million of the Community Choices Fund is available in two categories of £750,000 each:

  • Category one for Public Authorities which includes Local Authorities and other Public Bodies.
  • Category two for Community Organisations and Community Councils.

The fund aims to support PB activity which will significantly expand opportunities for more local people to make decisions on local spending priorities and contribute to local participatory democracy.

Targeted particularly at work in deprived areas, the fund aims to build on the support provided by the Scottish Government for PB since 2014 as part of a broader agenda around democratic innovation and engaged citizenship.

The closing date for applications is midnight 21 July 2017.

More information: https://pbscotland.scot/blog/2017/6/9/community-choices-fund-announced-for-201718

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Age-friendly cities and communities

(Adapted from an email from Dr Ryan Woolrych)

Click the thumbnails to read more:

A study has commenced exploring how neighourhood can better support older adults to live at home and in their communities.

Give the rapid growth of ageing populations in many cities, the importance of developing appropriate design interventions to enable active and healthy lifestyles for older residents is more urgent than ever.

Place-making with older adults: Towards age-friendly communities is a three year project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and will be exploring how older adults experience the communities they live in.

We will be working closely with older adults, local government, service providers, community organisations and pracitioners to deliver policy and practice recommendations to support the delivery of age-friendly cities and communities.

As part of the work we are looking to speak to anybody over the age of 60 who  currently lives in Leith. Please contact Dr Ryan Woolrych on r.d.woolrych@hw.ac.uk or by telephone on 0131 451 3899 or 07957 406677 to hear more about the project or to participate in the research.

Please also visit our website on http://placeage.org/en or join us on Twitter @placeage.

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Forth and Leith wards hustings: Monday 24th April

(with apologies for the short notice but we’ve only just been told about this)

Victoria Primary School parents’ council has organised a hustings on Monday 24th April with the candidates for Forth and Leith wards, to discuss the future of the school and wider community issues.

While everyone is welcome to attend, an idea of numbers would help if possible but realise this is short notice.

The hustings itself finishes at 9, and we will be following it up with a chat with parents about the parent council.

Hustings

Monday 24th April, from 7pm, Newhaven Church, Craighall Road

Refreshments and crêche will be provided

  • Ask local candidates about the relocation of Victoria Primary school, new school plans and interim arrangements (19.00-20.10)
  • Put your questions about the old school building and wider community issues (20.10-21.00)
  • Chat with Parent Council members (21.00-21.30)

For further information, please visit: www.facebook.com/VictoriaPrimarySchoolParents

RSVP: s.widdicombe2@gmail.com or 07952 969 253