Citizens’ Participation in Planning Local Self–Government Expenditures on the Example of the Participatory Budget of the City of Torun in 2013 and 2014

Abstract

The idea of so-called participatory budget was brought into effect for the first time twenty five years ago in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. In the short time participatory budget gained a great popularity, spreading to the entire country, and then to other South-American states. About 2000 many cities all over the world made attempts to implement participatory budgets. Members of local communities usually are enthusiastic, as participatory budget empowers them to decide on part of expenditures of local self-governments. Participatory budget creates alternative way of spending public funds. In Poland, the first city that decided to implement participatory budget was Sopot (2011). At present participatory budget is functioning in several dozen Polish local self-government units. In the article author tries to explain role and position of participatory budget according to the Act on Local Self-Government (1991). The structure and procedure concerning participatory budget is described on the example of the city of Torun (2013–2014).