Dundee citizens are being asked to help decide how to spend more than £1 million of council cash.
The Dundee Decides campaign will see people from every community, including children, have their say on how the local authority spends £1.2 million from the community infrastructure fund.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqlM6dG0svw
Anyone aged 11 or over can vote for their preferred projects, which include improvements to play parks and other facilities for children and young people.
Councillor John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, launched the consultation with Elaine Zwirlein, executive director of neighbourhood services and outgoing Citizen of the Year George Roberts.
Mr Alexander said: “Across Scotland a lot of funding has already been invested in getting citizens involved in setting spending priorities and this is a really exciting opportunity for Dundonians to have their say.
“We are the first council in the country to allocate a proportion of our mainstream budget to this participatory process and I am sure that the people of Dundee will get behind it and tell us where they think we should be spending their money.
“The process is as easy to use, robust and fair as we could make it and by March when we announce the results I’m sure it will have caught the imagination of people in every one of communities.”
Each of the council’s eight electoral wards – Strathmartine, Lochee, West End, Coldside, Maryfield, North East, East End and The Ferry – has been allocated up to £150,000 to spend on infrastructure improvements.
If any funds are left over after winning entrants have been selected they will be allocated to enhance projects in each ward.
The money will be used for physical projects like improvements to play areas, introducing pedestrian crossings, pavements, lighting and planting.
Voting will take place online via www.dundeedecides.org using a secure electronic voting system with a number of checks and balances built in to ensure safety and fairness with community events also planned to engage as many people as possible.
Votes can be cast until March 23 and the results will be announced by the end of that month.
