Widnes residents to decide how funding will be spent

Widnes residents are invited to attend a participatory budget event and vote on how they want £15,000 to be spent.

Cheshire Constabulary has been supported by Home Office funding to help make Widnes a better and safer place to live, work and visit.

The money will be distributed to community groups and projects that have applied to receive funding and meet the criteria.

At the participatory budget event on Saturday 7 March, 15 groups/projects will deliver a short presentation detailing how they would utilise funding to benefit the Widnes community.

They will also have a stand at the event, which will be held at Parklands Sports Club from 12 noon to 3pm.

Residents can speak to the applicants at their stands and get the answers to any questions they may have about the projects.

They will then be asked to vote on their top three options.

The votes will all be collated and the most popular applicants will each receive up to £2,000 to help them turn their improving Widnes plans into realities.

Superintendent Laura Marler, who oversees policing in Widnes, said: “Since funding from the Home Office was secured, we have been working with partner agencies and members of the Widnes community on how to best spend the money.

“A wide range of community groups and projects have applied for up to £2,000 for their ideas that they believe will help to unite the people of Widnes and make the town a better and safer place for all.

“Now it’s down to Widnes’ residents to choose which of them are the most worthy of funding.

“Who better to decide on how the money should be spent than the people it will benefit?

“To have your say on where the money should go, please come along to the participatory budget event on Saturday, listen to the presentations, speak to the people behind the community groups and projects and vote for your favourite three.”

Participatory budgeting directly involves local people in making decisions on the spending and priorities for a defined public budget.

It also provides residents with information that enables them to be a part of prioritising the needs of their community.

The event at Parklands Sports Club in Chapel Lane, Widnes, will be complemented by face painting, music and refreshments.

It will be attended by officers from Widnes Local Policing Unit, as well as partner agencies and local businesses that are supporting the event.

Supt Marler added: “We are looking forward to everyone coming along and supporting what will be an enjoyable and highly worthwhile event.

“It is an opportunity to find out about extremely good work that is taking place in Widnes, and to further lift the community spirit in the town.

“There are some fantastic community groups and projects in Widnes and Saturday’s event will enable a selection of them to receive funding to enable them to achieve even more than they currently do.”

Voting will take place between 1.15pm and 1.45pm.

The recipients of the funding will be announced at the end of the event.

(Superintendent Laura Marler)