Residents of Inverness West have voted at the 'Your Ward, Your Cash, What's Best For Best', to help decide the participatory budget in the region.

Participatory budgeting is a process of allocating funding by passing decision-making to the community.

Inverness West Councillors agreed to use a participatory budgeting process to distribute £10,000 of the local ward discretionary budget, Charleston Community Foundation then agreed to donate £1,000 to the fund. The process was designed by a local organising group who were keen to explore the potential of the process to engage a range of people in decision making while bringing the community together. 

Over 40 people took part in deciding the projects that would be funded from the £11,000 that was available. Eleven out of the 19 groups who put their projects forward have been successful and will now receive funding to help put their ideas into action..

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Councillor Graham Ross, who is a member of the Inverness West Organising group said: "I am delighted that so many people were able to take part in the 'Your Ward, Your Cash, What's Best For West' Community event on Saturday. I thought it was absolutely terrific and a huge success for the local community. I am extremely grateful for everyone who came along and made the event such an excellent success.

"It was a superb showcase of all the great work that voluntary and community groups do in the area. Having an event like this is more than just a new way of allocating funding. The real benefits are engaging local people, reaching new groups, funding new and different projects, and creating an opportunity for the community to come together."

The successful bids include:

• Charleston Community Complex - Gala Fun Day Committee -Gala Fun Day - Gala Tents

• Charleston Seniors Club - Annual Senior Citizens Activity Programme

• Kinmylies Primary School Active Schools - Outdoor Opportunities

• Kinmylies United Football Club - Provision of a new Storage Container

• High Life Highland - Muirtown Primary School Gymnastics Club

• High Life Highland - Charleston Summer Camp

• Highland Boxing Academy - Boxing as a diversionary activity

• Muirtown Explorer Scout Unit - A new Gazebo

• City of Inverness Championship - Highland Dancing Championship/Competition

• Inverness Polish Association - Friends in the West

• Inverness Shinty Club - Summer and Autumn Inverness Shinty Camp

(MH)