Money to grow: radical policy helps UK communities green their own spaces

'Participatory budgets' such as one project in east London are revitalising areas and improving accessibilityChildren of all ages hang out at the seating area. One group of teenagers from a local school call the sunny bench between two planters their "chill spot". One family sits out on a shady seat with the baby on warm evenings. People eat their lunch on the benches. Chosen and installed by the local community, the planters are a tiny but thrilling example of what can be done with a quietly radical policy that is being tried by a few councils.When Newham council first proposed the idea of a "participatory budget", a fund for which local people could propose ideas, and receive funding as long as other residents approved, it seemed impossible to imagine what might emerge. Continue reading...