Welcome and overview of the day: Oliver Escobar

Bruce Ryan: Oliver Escobar starting us off!
Helen Mackenzie: We’re off! #PBmainstream event in Edinburgh is underway with Oliver Escobar starting proceedings. We need to think about PB in systemic terms.
Bruce Ryan : Oliver Escobar says there are a few academics in the #PBmainstream room, but they must behave themselves. Also he shouts out to attendees from Western Isles and Shetland.
Si Cameron: Oliver Escobar kicking off the #PBmainstream discussions today. Great turnout from across Scotland. The opportunity to create #transformational change in ‘how we do’ and not just ‘what we do’ is real.
Bruce Ryan: Oliver Escobar says PB is part of social justice agenda. (This chimes with what @LeithChooses is doing.) Oliver Escobar says #PBmainstream will start with what we know, hence report by Angela O’Hagen, then move on to context for PB. We need to think about PB in systemic terms, as a way of reinvigorating things. Then some examples of PB mainstreaming. Oliver Escobar says that decisions we take now will determine scope and ambition of PB in the future.
Helen Mackenzie: The decisions we take in the next 12 months will determine our ambition for #participatory budgeting. Oliver Escobar stresses the importance of this event.
Bruce Ryan: Oliver Escobar says afternoon will be about dialogic around PB, i.e. practical next steps.

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