Municipal residents and service users have many opportunities to participate and influence the affairs of their municipality and to express their opinions and suggestions to municipal officials and decision-makers. The municipality is free to decide how to put this obligation into practice.

The main channels for citizen participation are:

• Feedback
• Citizens’ initiative
• Contacting persons in a position of trust
• Contact the officials
• Participation in municipal lobbying bodies (Youth Council, Council for the Elderly, Council for the Disabled)

Participation and influence can be promoted, for example, by organising discussion and consultation meetings and citizens’ councils, by seeking the views of residents before decisions are taken, and by electing representatives of service users to municipal bodies. Involvement in decision-making can also be promoted by providing opportunities to participate in the municipality’s financial planning, by planning and developing services together with service users, and by supporting spontaneous planning by residents, organisations and other communities.

Direct participation has also taken on new empowering forms in the 21st century, such as community planning, visioning, focus group work, customer panels and participation in community forums.

Participation in Loimaa

Inclusion has been identified as one of the key themes of the city’s strategy. In addition to the main channels for citizen participation mentioned above, Loimaa has the following ways of involving its residents:

Participatory budgeting

From 2021, participatory budgeting will be in place, giving residents a say in how the public money available to the city is spent. The aim of participatory budgeting is to involve residents in the ideas, decisions and joint efforts to make Loimaa an even better place to live. Find out more about participatory budgeting in Loimaa.

Residents’ meeting as part of the budget preparation process

The budget preparation process is accompanied by a residents’ meeting, where residents have the opportunity to learn about and give feedback on the budget for the coming year before the board and council make their decisions. For more information on the residents’ meeting, see the Budget and Accounts page.

Opportunities for young people to participate

Young people can participate and influence in many different ways. Find out more on the Youth #youthinvolvement website in the Participate and influence section.