Local residents in Croydon, south London, have been given the opportunity to put forward ideas for improvements at nine parks across the borough as part of a council-led consultation.

An internet message board was set up by Croydon Council to allow people to have their say throughout February on plans to spend £1.5m on the nine parks that were chosen by a public vote before Christmas 2009. The council will now draw up a 'menu' of options for each of the parks to be put before residents, who will be given the chance to decide how the money will be spent as part of the Parks To Be Proud Of initiative.

Croydon Council's cabinet member for culture and sport, Steve Hollands, said: "This new way of spending council money is called 'participatory budgeting'. It means that we are committed to spending resources on the things that local people see as genuine priorities."