News

We are continuing our series of drop in planning advice outreach sessions across the region.  Our next session will be held on Thursday, 5 March 2020 in Omagh Community House, Drumagh Avenue, Omagh between 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm.  

Our Planning Advice Service is part-funded by the Department for Infrastructure and enables us to provide free, confidential, impartial planning advice to people and communities who cannot afford to pay a private consultant. 

You can drop into the advice session any time between 3.00 pm and 7.00 pm to get one-to-one confidential advice from one of our planners.  There is no need to make an appointment.  We can give advice on: 

• how the planning system works (applications; fees; enforcement; appeals);

• planning policies;

• your council’s decision making process; and

• how to comment or object if you think a proposal or a development will have a negative impact on your home or your community.

You can also get advice by telephone (9023 9444) or by email (info@communityplaces.info).

We are delighted to announce that we have secured Great Ideas funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to put people in the lead through quality PB.

The project aims to achieve a ‘quality’ locally led and tailored approach to the planning and application of PB processes through the development of a PB Charter.  This means that every PB process should place an emphasis on planning for inclusion and participation and that community stakeholders should be involved from the outset - genuinely putting people in the lead.

The project will bring people together through the PB Network to champion PB practice and create and grow connections, positive relationships and trust between those who are planning and participating in PB processes.  Developing a PB Charter will increase people’s confidence in PB processes and create a learning environment which will support future PB practice.

Key project activities:

• six regional PB Learning Workshops to develop a PB Charter
• Co-designed PB Charter and ‘bite size’ learning resources
• Vox pops featuring PB Champions
• Mentoring support to apply the PB Charter

Over the coming months we will be holding six regional PB Learning Workshops to inform and shape the development of the PB Charter. These will bring people and communities together to share and learn from PB Stories including what makes PB different from traditional funding and decision-making processes; the positive impacts which PB has had for people and communities; and showcase and learn from international and local good practice. We will then test and apply the Charter through the development of learning resources, vox pops and mentoring support to those who are planning a PB process. We will also continue to lobby to reduce perceived barriers to mainstreaming and scaling up PB.

To find out more about Putting People in the Lead through Quality Participatory Budgeting contact Louise O’Kane via louise@communityplaces.info by telephone on 028 9023 9444 or sign up to the PB Works Network for all the latest news http://www.participatorybudgetingworks.org/register