Rural participatory budget branded‘flawed’

A participatory budgeting event in Callander in March had been criticised as“inept and unfair”by some community council members who attended.

Carron Valley Community Council and Strathblane Community Council were both unhappy about the way cash was allocated to projects.

And Conservative councillors had described the process as“fundamentally flawed.”

Labour’s Chris Kane admitted there was“a lot to learn”before next year’s budget process, but hailed it as a“commendable attempt at doing things differently and collaboratively.”

It was pointed out that projects which were able to pack the‘Your Place, Your Priorities’meeting at Callander Primary School with the most supporters had benefited from the cash awards.

Some participants said they had very little time to prepare for the meeting and were not given clear instructions about the voting procedure.

Carron Valley Community Council chairman David Petch said:“Anyone over the age of 10 could vote. It was mob rule.

“The more people you had at the meeting the more likely your project would get funding.

“Two projects from outside Stirlingshire received money and the other six which received money were from Aberfoyle, Callander and Killin. The western or southern areas of Stirling district did not receive a penny.

“Callander Primary School, where the meeting was held, had a playground revamp project. This project, given the location, had no problem getting backers.”

Strathblane Community Council chairman Margaret Vass said:“The process clearly disadvantages smaller communities who may have had problems getting together support for their bid.

“And the notice period for this event was too short and complicated by the fact that a lot of community groups were dealing with the effects of bad weather and didn’t have time to fill in the applications forms.”

Conservative Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl had insisted that the process could not be repeated in the same way.

He stressed:“The process does not live up to the billing of participatory budgeting when you consider how it was organised.”

But Chris Kane – who had attended the urban leg of proceedings in Stirling – said it had been the best attended and best-supported event he had ever seen.

He commented:“There is much to learn ahead of doing it again next year, but this was a remarkable and commendable attempt at doing things differently and collaboratively.

“Overall I can’t stress how positive I found this first tentative step in participatory budgeting.”