DULVERTON residents will be handed some purse string power when they decide how best to spend a public pot of cash in a radical new initiative aimed at giving power to the people.

The town is one of the first in a rural area and the only one in Exmoor National Park to take part in a national programme asking local people how public funds could be better spent.

Around £10 million a year is invested in Dulverton by seven public authorities - roughly £6,500 for every man, woman and child.

Now local people are being given the chance to say how £15,000 - just under 0.2 per cent of the overall public spending - should be allocated to improve the town's economic, health and community wellbeing.

The decisions will be made tomorrow (Saturday) at a voting event dubbed 'Sensible Spending'.

Organiser Les Silverlock said local groups would each make a three minute presentation about a priority that would improve local life.

"Then everybody present, including the other groups, will vote on how good the idea is and whether it is value for money," he said.

"The funds are allocated according to what local people have decided."

Sport, dance, fitness and improvements to the environment are all likely to figure among the bids, as well as priorities identified by the 261 households who contributed to the parish plan.

The plan will be launched today (Friday), with the results on display from 2pm in the town hall, continuing tomorrow.

It forms an integral part of the new initiative and is the result of a year of consultation with local people on a range of issues.

Dulverton Town Council chairman Cllr Chris Nelder, who has been part of a group carrying out a survey for the plan, said the authority wanted to support the most effective and efficient delivery of public services in the town by involving residents in how a small part of the public budget was spent.

NHS Somerset was the first authority to support what is known as 'participatory budgeting' by handing over £5,000.

A spokesman said: "We are keen to have local people's advice about how to keep up the pace of health improvements.

"Local people know the problems best and can produce the most original solutions as well as best value for money."

Other supporters - who will all have displays at this weekend's event - include the town council, West Somerset Council, the national park, Avon and Somerset Police, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and Magna Housing Association.

District council leader Cllr Keith Ross - who lives in Dulverton and whose authority in putting £7,500 into the pot - said: "We want to make what is already a strong community an even better place to live, work and play."

The parish plan will be on display until 9pm tonight and from 10am to 4pm tomorrow.

The voting will start at 2pm tomorrow and continue until final agreement is reached or by 4pm.