Plymouth City Council

Plymouth City Council’s City Change Fund has given residents real control over how council funds are spent to improve communities. By matching money raised by residents through a council-led crowdfunding platform, the Council pledges the ‘neighbourhood portion’ of the Community Infrastructure Levy towards projects led and supported by residents. Crowdfunding ensures maximum impact and generates significant match funding, stimulating the community and voluntary sectors and minimising costs. It has engaged thousands of residents in local projects acting as a super-effective engagement tool. Plymouth was the first council to begin distributing funds in this way.

This award is open to a single council or where appropriate a partnership of councils, or a council-owned company. Private sector partners can enter on a council’s behalf, with the permission of the council itself. Many councils are seeking to establish a new relationship with local people and local communities. Community involvement and engagement is increasingly important as a way of shaping council thinking, contributing to service design and improvement and to responding to continuing resource pressures. It may also involve direct community involvement in service delivery. This award is intended to showcase the whole range of community involvement.