From participatory budgeting to community-led services: The co-production journey of Çanakkale in Turkey

Outcomes

The personal priorities of the mayor have been replaced by the priorities of citizens voting in the neighbourhoods, giving a better understanding of local needs. Moreover, because of the active interest and involvement of citizens and the muhtars the delivery of the local infrastructure projects was on budget. This is a positive step towards an accountable local government and a vibrant local democracy

As a result, muhtars have gained in importance in Çanakkale Municipality. They are now also in charge of strengthening partnership working of NGOs at neighbourhood level and across the city.

Most importantly, more and more citizens have become active in their neighbourhoods to improve green spaces, which has also fostered community cohesion. As the Director of Parks of Canakkale Municipality confirmed his department is getting more and more requests from the public to look after parks. A brilliant example is provided by the residents' group who had applied for a small grant to improve a local park in 2007. As the residents got older and some of the developed dementia the taxi drivers of a nearby taxi stand got involved and sponsored a water basin to provide water for street animals. Neighbours living close to the park provide the animals with food. Citizens who can no longer look after their pets now bring them to the park.