In the same way that Loulé council agreed to fund projects in cooperation with local parishes after a voting process open to all, Alcoutim council also is to fund two projects chosen by locals.
€100,000 has been allocated for two projects on the border county, one of which is in the village of Vaqueiros which need a lot of work to counter years of neglect.
Alcoutim council is using the Participatory Budgeting scheme to release the funds after over 10% of the local population voted.
The two most popular proposals will share the €100,000 on offer 50:50.
The Vaqueiros tidy up will see the old public well at the north entrance brought back to life in a long-overdue refurbishment, as well as the construction of a picnic area in the existing public laundry, the creation of a much needed footpath and the building of some stone walls.
The other winning bid will see an upgrade take place along the famous Avenida de Espanha in Alcoutim itself.
For the president of the municipality, Osvaldo Gonçalves, the works have been chosen as priorities by the people that live in the area so there should be no objections when the work takes place.
"The goals we set ourselves for this Participatory Budgeting in Alcoutim were basically to work on a closer relationship between the council and Alcoutim’s citizens so as to exercise participatory, active and responsible citizenship with a view to improving the quality of life in the county. I believe these goals largely were met," said the happy mayor.
