People will have a chance to shape their communities' future at the launch of a new neighbourhood partnership in Bristol.

Bristol City Council is devolving limited powers to partnerships of councillors, local organisations and other interested parties across the city.

Each will cover two or three council wards – and have a small budget of between £10,000 and £15,000 a year to spend on local projects.

The new partnership in Henleaze, Westbury-on-Trym and Stoke Bishop – which launches on Thursday – will have £45,000 to spend between now and March 2011.

Ten partnerships around Bristol are already up and running and more will follow.

One of the ideas behind the project is that services should provide what the council calls "a more local response".

The partnerships will also provide a way for residents to have more influence on services.

Residents, local groups and businesses are being invited to the launch at the hall, Henleaze Junior School, in Park Grove, Henleaze, from 7pm to 9pm.

Former Bristol Lord Mayor Peter Abraham, Conservative councillor for Stoke Bishop, said: "I hope people will join us.

"This is a chance to really determine priorities for the area we live in."

Liberal Democrat councillor for Henleaze Clare Campion-Smith said: "All the councillors are working together.

"We're all determined the new partnership will make real change and not just be a talking shop.

"And having cash to spend will help that. We'll work with local people to decide how the money should be spent."

At Thursday's meeting, a council spokesman said, residents would be able to say what they thought the key problems were locally.

"They and their ward councillors will work together with service deliverers from the council, police, health authority and other services to develop and deliver an action plan to address them," said the spokesman.

"There will be regular public meetings to share progress and update the plan."