Hazel Blears announced a few weeks ago that the government was going to test participatory budgeting by alloting £400,000 to 20 Community Ownership Demonstration Areas. “Communities and Local Government” told me that this was inspired by successfull examples from Brazil and that it had also been trialled in Sunderland. The Sunderland example can be seen in a video here and looks very interesting. Perhaps though, it could be combined with the more innovative and collaborative techniques of The People Speak who’s participatory budgeting can be seen in a video here. Let’s try and get them in touch with each other.