Ways to participate and influence in Turku
Voice your opinion – tool for online participation
In the Voice your opinion tool the city asks residents for their opinions on issues in preparation. Things and opinions can be seen and commented on by everyone.
The City of Turku implements participatory budgeting. People in Turku are able to propose, develop and vote on how EUR 1 million is used per year.
The city of Turku wants its residents to have the best possible everyday environment. A good everyday environment is comfortable, unobstructed and safe. A good everyday environment is promoted, for example, by walking together in the area. Pre-planned walking routes are considered together with the residents. At appropriate points, they stop and discuss the surroundings of the place; what is good in it, what is bad in it, what causes insecurity, how comfort could be improved. These observations are recorded and things are taken forward in the organization of the city.
In order to support services or activity, the city of Turku offers grants to organisations, work groups, and private individuals over 10 M€ a year.
The City Council, with its 67 City Councillors, has the highest power of decision in the City of Turku. The City Councillors and their deputies are elected once every four years in municipal elections.
The City Board is responsible for the City’s administration and management of finances. It also implements the decisions made by the City Council. The City Board has 13 members selected by the City Council.
On Twitter, the council discussion is held under the tag #tkuvaltuusto. Video broadcasts of the meetings.
Influential Groups are a crucial component of participation in Turku. The city runs six official groups: Parliament of Children, Council of Immigrants, Council of Gender Equality, Council of Youth, Council of Elderly and Council of Disabled. The last three ones are statutory by law.
Through the feedback service, residents can give thanks, reprimands and suggestions for improvement about the city’s services, activities and decision-making. Each feedback is useful in improving services even more, and they gather information about the issues that most often concern residents. The feedback service works online.
Regional forums are discussion events open to all citizens
- Customer juries / client councils
Customer juries bring the perspective and experience of service users to the development of services and products and can be used for testing of new ideas. Customer jury activities are always based on the voluntary nature of the members.