Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary secures £15,000 for local projects in Basingstoke

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has secured £15,000 for individuals and community groups in Basingstoke to spend on local projects.

The money, which has been made available by the Home Office, is in place for initiatives that aim to improve the lives of local people, provide activities and facilities for young people and encourage community engagement.

Any group or person is able to apply for up to two bids of £5,000 but cannot apply for more than a total of £10,000 across all of their bids.

The money is to be used in the Oakridge, Chapel Gate and South Views areas of the town and applications need to be submitted by Monday 30 January 2023.

Those who meet the criteria for the fund will be notified after Thursday 2 February.

The Participatory Budgeting (PB) event will take place on Saturday 25 February.

The £15,000 is part of Participatory Budgeting, a decision making tool where the community shape and develop the funding process, allowing the community to submit applications for funding. 

An additional sum of approximately £10,000 has been donated by VIVID, a provider of affordable homes and support services in the area, who are pleased to be working in partnership to support improvements to the local area.

Basingstoke Temporary Police Sergeant Steve Auton said: “We welcome this PB scheme, which is a democratic process that allows the community to shape the funding process.

“It allows community groups and organisations to apply for funding for local projects, and the wider community to come along and vote for where they think the money should be spent.

“We have always worked closely with our partner agencies, community groups and residents across the town and have worked hard to secure this funding so that they can have a say in how the money is spent.

“Please have your say in how we can provide more facilities and activities for young people in this part of Basingstoke.”

Susan Ritchie is Director of MutualGain, a small organisation seeking to connect the conversations in communities to those happening in organisations so that better decisions about public budgets and public policy can be made. 

They specialise in strengths-based techniques, of which Participatory Budgeting is one. MututalGain is supporting this current scheme.

Susan said: “In June this year children and adults in the area came together to talk about what mattered to them.

“They now have an opportunity to put forward their ideas and vote on the ones they think will have the biggest impact. 

“Whether you are 15 or 75, your ideas are welcomed, and your vote is needed. 

“Participatory Budgeting (PB) is often defined as 'if it feels like we have decided, it is PB. If it feels like someone else (officials) has decided, it is not'. So come along and decide how this money is spent.”

Those interested can apply by completing this form: https://forms.office.com/r/xx5ty0a68t