Residents in the Three Towns are being urged to register for their chance to win £700 from the ‘community chest’.

Local groups will have the chance to pursue their ambitions when Participatory Budgeting comes to Saltcoats Town Hall on Saturday, May 21.

Participatory Budgeting (PB) encourages communities to decide how to spend a small amount of the public budget and is already helping 1,500 localites around the world achieve their aspirations.

The Three Towns event is the second to take place as part of a PB pilot being organised by North Ayrshire Council. The Council is funding the pilot together with The Ayrshire Community Trust and the Scottish Government.

Residents of the Three Towns who are keen to take part in the PB event must complete an application form outlining why their group should receive a fair share of the funding. The PB Steering Group will then review all applications and those shortlisted will be invited to the event on 21 May. The final decision will be down to those voting on the day and voters must be aged eight or over.

Those applicants bidding for funding can also take part in the vote.

Applications can be obtained by calling 01294 475 900 or by emailing: participatorybudgeting@north-ayrshire.gov.uk The deadline for completed applications is Monday 9 May at 9am.

Registration for the Three Towns event begins at 11.30 and those attending must be prepared to stay for the full duration. The event is expected to finish at 4.30pm.

Kilwinning played host to the first pilot event and over 200 residents turned out to take part. They descended on Ayr College to hear all the bids for funding from local groups and St Winning’s Parent Council, Kilwinning Elderly Forum and KSC Thistle 2003s are just some of the groups who won a share of the full £12,000 on offer.