Otley residents asked to help choose town council budget priorities (From Ilkley Gazette)

Otley residents asked to help choose town council budget priorities

12:08pm Friday 5th October 2012 in News

Residents in Otley are being asked to help spend £5,000 of the town council’s budget.

The move is part of the council’s drive towards introducing a new form of more democratic budgeting.

The best ideas submitted for projects which people would like to see the council – or a local community group – deliver will then be put to a public vote.

Residents will be able to vote for the shortlisted schemes using a scoring system, with the highest-ranked idea being supported first, then the second and so on until the £5,000 fund is exhausted.

Anyone who would like to put forward project ideas is asked to complete an online form on the website otleytown-council.gov.uk, e-mail Jason Knowles at community@otleytownco-uncil.gov.uk or call (01943) 466335.

Forms can also be picked up at the council’s offices at 7 Bay Horse Court in Otley.

The deadline for project ideas to be submitted is 5pm on Friday, November 2, with the public ballot due to be held early in the new year.

Otley is hoping to use participatory budgeting as a better way of prioritising spending so schemes that mean most to the community are pursued first.