Using information technology in participatory budgeting:

The case of the city of cologne

Matthias Trénel & Oliver Märker

Zebralog cross media dialoguesBerlin / Germany

trenel@zebralog.dehttp://www.zebralog.de/en

International Conference “Participatory Budgeting in Asia and Europe: Key Challenges of Participation”August 17-19, 2009, University of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China

Context: The city

Context: The city

Population of 1 million

City council with 16.000 employees

Annual budget of €4 billion (≈ ¥40 billion)

History of corruption scandals („Kölner Klüngel“)

approx. two thirds of population use internet

Context: Timeline

2002: Local Agenda 21 group called for PB

2004: Political parties incorporated idea into election programs

2005: local council asked finance administration to plan PB

2006: budget department set up steering committee, hosted symposium on PB and comissioned representative survey of citizens

2007: 4 weeks active PB phase

2008: local council adopted proposals

2009: next active PB phase coming up

...

Context: Aims of PB

Develop a citizen-oriented local authority

Optimize processes through IT

Present municipal budget in transparent and comprehendable form

Receive good spending and saving suggestions concerning

- Roads, paths, squares

- Green spaces

- Sports

Making proposals should be as easy as possible for all citizens

Create an attractive multi-channel communication platform with low barriers to access

Methodology: Outreach

Mailing to every household

Billboards

Radio spots

City web site

Information event

Methodology: Channels of participation

Information event

Paper form

Call center

Internet

NO local meetings

Methodology: Making proposals online

Users were asked to submit proposals on first page

Users categorized their own proposals

Anonymous participation was tolerated

All proposals were visible on platform

Other users commented on proposals

Meta-forum for discussion of PB

Moderators kept rules of civility and responded to questions and complaints

Methodology: Making proposals online

Methodology: Selecting proposals

All proposals received support or disagreement on the online-platform through votings by users

Those proposals receiving most support were selected for further examination by the administration

- Top 100 proposals for roads, paths and squares

- Top 100 proposals for green spaces

- Top 100 proposals for sports

Methodology: Selecting proposals

Methodology: Examining proposals

1. Screening by finance administration during PB: Team of 16 employees working in shifts

2. Feasability check by relevant administrative departments

3. Review by relevant council committees

4. Review by finance comittee

5. Decision by council

6. Public feedback to citizens

7. Monitoring of proposal enactment

Results: Participation

4.937

9.171

52.534

11.744

120.000

Proposals

Comments

Votings

Registered participants (60% were male)

Unique visitors

Results: Proposals by participation channel

E-Mail Paper Form Online-Plattform

4.238

85%

448

9%

Call-Center

148

4%

103

2%

Results: Proposals over time

5.11. Press Conference

Results: Type of proposals

Saving

Total..........

Spending Other

Other issues....

Roads, paths, squares..

Green spaces ...

Sports ....

Results: Media coverage

PB received extensive media coverage, daily updates, also in tabloid press

High participation rates created interest

PB was well documented online

Competition between proposals was entertaining

Results: Policy impact

Local council adopted proposals measuring €17 million (≈ ¥170 million)

Local council has decided to continue PB

Administration plans to utilize participation platform in other policy areas

Results: Main lessons learned

Online-platform is leading participation channel, but should not be the only one

Online-platform is ideal for documenting and monitoring PB from the planning stage to the enactment of proposals

Online-platform allows efficient processing of proposals in the administration

Involving as many citizens as possible is a good strategy to faciliate political impact of PB

谢谢Thank you for your attention!