Greenspace groups urged to go for grants of up to £5000

COMMUNITY greenspace groups are bidding for grants between £500 and £5000 to benefit local projects which include tackling climate change and increasing biodiversity.

Voting closes at the end of the week with funding allocated this month to organisations focusing on improving their communities and promoting health and wellbeing.

In 2019 Glasgow City Council launched its vision for the city’s parks and greenspaces called “Our Dear Place.” An action plan to involve communities in developing and managing local spaces as well as creating volunteering opportunities was launched. The scheme was discussed at a council meeting recently.

A council officer said: “We have been looking at improving participatory budgeting (PB) by engaging citizens from the very beginning by helping design the process rather than just delivering it.

“Overall, it has been an extremely positive experience, from the citizens not withstanding there has to be an evaluation process carried out, but we have had good feedback.”

Through the use of participatory budgeting (PB), a democratic process that involves citizens having a direct say on how public money is spent, it was decided that people should have a say on what matters to them.

With the overarching aim of PB in Glasgow to reduce poverty and inequality, £150,000 was awarded to the council’s neighbourhoods and sustainability in financial year 2019/20 to be used in PB projects