Local authorities in Krasnystaw from 2014, and in the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny from 2013, make efforts to use the available tools for including local inhabitants in planning of a part of the local budget. In Krasnystaw e.g. a competition was opened for proposals of tasks to be implemented under the participatory budget, and in the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny similar initiative was launched under the village fund. But the initiatives met with no considerable interest from local communities, and local authorities had no experience to enhance the processes.
The aim of the project was to develop a methodology for implementation of participatory budgets in small towns and municipalities, and to use it in practice in Krasnystaw and in the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny.
As a result of the project, many persons and local groups engaged in local development of their localities through participatory planning of local budgets. In Krasnystaw and Rejowiec Fabryczny, the procedures for civil budgets were developed and implemented. The growing interest of the inhabitants in local affairs is witnessed by their participation in votes concerning the budgets – in Krasnystaw 2607 persons, and in the villages of the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny 268 persons.
In both localities, Committees for monitoring the implementation of civil budgets were created. The Committees became points of meetings and exchange of opinions between different groups and bodies. In addition, six open lectures and panel discussions on public participation were organised, as well as ten lessons and meetings with the youth on participation methods and 14 consultation meetings where the needs of inhabitants and defining priorities were discussed. A publication was prepared describing experiences and procedures for civil budget tested in municipality and small town, as well as two Internet pages being a forum for inhabitants. A conference promoting civil budgets was organised for neighbouring municipalities and localities.
The project recipients were local inhabitants, councillors, officers and leaders, and non-governmental organisations in Krasnystaw and the municipality Rejowiec Fabryczny.
The partners – the Town Hall in Krasnystaw and the Municipal Hall in Rejowiec Fabryczny – were responsible for cooperation with the Committees and coordination of the process of civil budget implementation.
Representatives of the partners also took part in public consultations.