More information about this topic is available on the following website:
On 15 July 2005 the district administration statute for Berlin Lichtenberg was amended, providing the legal basis for planning a citizens’ budget. Since then the district assemblies have been required to enable their residents to contribute to and take part in political decision-making at communal level, and to inform them about their right to participate.
The citizens’ budget is intended to take more account of district residents’ needs, to make more effective use of the funds available, to employ them in a fairer way and to make the budget planning process more transparent. The benefits anticipated for decision-makers and administrators are more lively budget discussions, unbureaucratic decisions and new suggestions for using public funds.
Given that the bulk of the district budget is determined in advance by statutory requirements, and that funds must be allocated accordingly, it follows that there is only limited scope for the citizens to decide things. The areas concerned are cultural facilities, promoting sport, programmes for senior citizens and young people, health promotion, management of public open space and business development.
All residents have the opportunity of submitting proposals and assessing the proposals tabled, by means of on-line dialogue, public meetings and communication in writing.
The process begins in small-scale meetings where residents are meant to be informed and activated before the main citizens’ meetings get under way. Alongside these it is possible to submit and to assess proposals on-line.





Citizens’ budget in Berlin Lichtenberg
Photo: Bezirksamt Lichtenberg, Berlin
More information about this topic is available on the following website: