Faro encourages citizens to present their own projects
Local citizens are once again being encouraged to present their own projects for the borough as part of Faro’s fourth people’s budget (Orçamento Participativo, or OP).
This year’s OP budget has received a significant increase in funding, with €240,000 for the people’s budget and €10,000 for projects pitched by local students.
Each pitched project can now receive a maximum €40,000 to be developed, the council revealed.
All citizens aged 18 and older who are registered to vote in Faro or who can prove their live, work, or study in the municipality can submit proposals.
The winning projects are those that receive the most votes from citizens until the budget is exhausted, with each parish/parish union always having at least one winning project.
In the first phase, taking place between October 14 and November 25, the municipality will hold 11 ‘Participatory Meetings’ in various parishes, open to all. During these meetings, residents can verbally present their proposals for improving the municipality. A schedule will be revealed soon, the council says.
From November 26 to December 26, digital participation will be allowed through the Faro PB portal. Each participant can submit one proposal.
After the proposal submission period and technical analysis, the voting phase will take place throughout March 2024, and each participant can vote for two projects.
In April 2024, the winning projects will be announced, and their execution will take place over a maximum period of two years.
The local council adds that over €555,000 have been invested in OP projects since the initiative’s first edition, while six of the 18 winning projects have been completed. The goal of the initiative is to get citizens involved in the improvement of their own life quality and the municipality’s development.
