In September 2023 applications were invited from community groups in Leith for the 2023/24 £eith Chooses Participatory Budgeting process. 23 applications progressed to the voting stage of the process and 13 of those successfully gained funding.

Grants of up to £5,000 from this participatory budgeting programme were awarded to these local groups. The total budget consisted of £44,624 from the City of Edinburgh Council Community Grants Fund and £8,000 from Trams to Newhaven.

Public voting took place online through the City of Edinburgh Council’s Consultation Hub from the January 22-Febuary 5 and at the in-person vote day on the 27th January. Over 3000 people took the opportunity to vote and these decided which projects would be funded. A full list of organisations which received funding is available in the notes section of this release.

An online open forum for feedback from voters and/or applicants will be offered in early March to encourage feedback and conversation around this year’s process.

Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many excellent local projects benefitting from the Leith Chooses scheme. Participatory budgeting is a key avenue for our citizens to have more control over public money and this has been carried out successfully in the north of the city for over a decade now.

“I look forward to seeing how these projects make use of the funding in the course of the year ahead.”

Sally Millar, a member of the Leith Chooses Steering Group, added: “The £eith Chooses team was delighted to welcome over 40 Leithers to the ‘Results Night’ event, to hear the public announcement of which community groups and charities had been successful in winning funding through the 2023/24 £eith Chooses participatory budgeting process. Thirteen out of 23 applicants were awarded funding, based on the numbers of votes received online and at the recent in-person voting day. There were over 3,000 voters, with a total of over 11,000 votes cast.

“The evening was hosted by Leith Walk Councillors Susan Rae and Jack Caldwell, with brief speeches from members of the £eith Chooses Steering Group, a long-time volunteer helper, and Mr Andrew Field, Head of Community Empowerment and Engagement, City of Edinburgh Council who was able to give reassurances that the same level of Community Grant budget has been secured for next year. This is the 14th year of community led decisions about how funds are spent locally, and it is inspiring to see how invested the Leith community is in the process.”

Chief executive at Leith Community Centre, Rob Levick, commented: “It was great to finally have In-Person Voting back at the Community Centre after 4 years away. For us it’s possibly the highlight of the year, Welcoming Leithers into their Centre, to meet, to blether, and to play an active part in which local projects get support. I only wish we had more money to share out.”