Participatory Budgeting (PB) originated in Brazil in the 1980s, has spread worldwide, and is a method of giving local people the opportunity to decide how public money is spent in their communities.

It is important to recognise that PB should be seen as an effective community engagement tool, rather than merely a different means of allocating resources.

For the financial year 2021-22, Winsford Town Council made a decision to allocate £25,000 to support a pilot Participatory Budgeting process.