Civic Budget

On April 26, 2023, the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski City Council adopted Resolution No. LXXVII/36/2023 on determining the principles and procedures for conducting social consultations of the civic budget with the residents of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. 

The new edition of the civic budget envisages an increased pool of funds (PLN 750,000.00), carrying out the entire consultation mode, among other things, electronically via a dedicated platform, and allowing minors to actively participate with the consent of their parents or guardians. The rules were subjected to consultations with residents (open meetings, collection of oral comments, collection of comments in paper and electronic form). The organization of the civic budget in the formula proposed in the Resolution of the City Council should lead to an increase in interest in this form of participation, an increase in the number of voters and applications that will be allowed in the vote. It will also enable people of all ages to co-determine the development of the city and contribute to a better awareness of the Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Commune's own tasks among the city's residents.

Employees of the Department of Planning and Development have been working since the beginning of 2023 to get the city's youth involved. During the meeting, teenagers actively asked questions and led discussions in which they proposed original solutions for the upcoming participatory process. The turnout of young people at the meeting was surprising. It turns out that Ostrowiec's youth want to have an impact on the future of their little homeland and see the potential in introducing civic solutions in the city.

Deputy Mayor of the City of Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski Artur Łakomiec spoke about the idea of getting young residents involved.

Getting young people involved in discussions about the form of the Civic Budget will bring fresh and bold ideas to the program. Thanks to the increase in the budget, we are greatly expanding the possibilities in this regard. I think there will be many positive surprises in the current edition of the Civic Budget, which I wish for myself and for you," said the vice mayor. 

During the meeting, three operational youth groups emerged. The first, with the help of an instructor from the Bureau of Artistic Exhibitions Ms. Agnieszka Gawot, will design advertising and informational materials. The second group will prepare video footage and record radio programmes. The third group, meanwhile, is made up of students from school student councils, who, in cooperation with their council supervisors, will organize informational meetings during teacher-parent meetings at their schools. The youngsters proposed to work together with City Hall staff to prepare posters for bus stops, badges, flyers with instructions on how to submit a project, a civic budget logo, design a sweatshirt with the BOOŚ logo for people promoting the budget and project applicants, instructional videos that would be broadcast on public transportation buses, social media and television.