Half a million reasons to get involved in vote
Poll will decide how £500,000 is spent on towns
Communities in Wishaw and Motherwell will soon have the groundbreaking chance to decide how £500,000 is spent on improving their towns.
Residents will have the opportunity to vote on a list of projects, such as new play areas, environmental improvements and ideas celebrating local history and heritage.
Around £350,000 is available for Wishaw projects, with £150,000 set aside for Motherwell.
Councillor Paul Kelly, depute leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “It’s a really exciting development and a superb way for local people to play a fully active part in the decision making process.
“In this initial phase local people in the Motherwell and Wishaw localities will be able to vote on a list of ideas for infrastructure projects.
“After this pilot project then it will be expanded to include all other towns across the area.
“Participatory budgeting has local people at its heart as the ideas for the projects stem from the communities themselves through the locality partnerships.”
Schools will be heavily involved in this initiative, which will allow young people to fully take part in democratic processes.
There will also be visits to local groups to encourage everyone to take part.
Mr Kelly added: “There are a number of ways local people can vote.
“An innovative new online method will be established through a new Community Matters Portal available on the council’s website and other more traditional ways – for example ballot boxes - will be placed at key local sites including community centres and schools and other public areas.”
People are eligible to vote as long as they meet the following criteria: They must be at least eight years old; They·must have a Motherwell, Shotts or Wishaw and District post code (including Allanton, Harthill, Salsburgh and other outlying villages); Each person will be able to vote for four projects and all votes must be used.
To register to vote on the “Community Matters Portal” follow the link from the front page of the council’s website which will be live for registration from Monday, August 5.
Registration before August 19 will enable you to view the projects for your area and voting will be live from that date.
Voting opens on Monday, August 19 and runs until Friday, September 6.
To register to vote, visit https:// nla.communitychoices.scot
It’s a really exciting development and a superb way for local people to play a fully active partinthedecision making process Councillor Paul Kelly