The UK Government has announced that funding from the ‘Pride in Place’ programme will be distributed across Wales to try to ‘restore pride’ in local communities. The aim of the programme is to support people to make improvements to their local areas by providing funding that could transform the high street, save local amenities and foster newfound pride in their communities.
The scheme, which was launched by the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will see local communities stating where and how money should be spent. The following local authorities will receive £20 million each to improve their areas:
- Blaenau Gwent
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Caerphilly
- Carmarthenshire
- Conwy
- Cardiff
- Swansea
Every local authority in Wales will also receive a share of £34.5 million of capital funding to improve public spaces and to get to grips with things such as fixing bus shelters, reopening public toilets in parks, providing more bins and renovating leisure centres.
In a statement the Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“We’re investing in the UK’s future, by backing the true patriots that build our communities up in neighbourhoods across every corner of the country. Because it’s people who bring pride, hope and life to our communities.
This is a huge investment, but what matters most is who decides how it’s spent: the neighbours, volunteers and parents who know their communities best – the people with real skin in the game.
We’re choosing renewal over decline, unity over division. This is or Plan for Change in action – giving power and pride back to the people who make Britain great.”
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:
“The UK Government is laser-focused on delivering economic growth and providing opportunity for all and the Pride in Place programme is a key part of us doing that.
More than £200 million of new investment will see improvements made to communities up and down Wales making them even greater places to live and work.
We want to work with all our partners to make improvements that matter to local people and deliver jobs and prosperity.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said:
“Building pride in place starts with people, not politics. Local people know what they want to see in their neighbourhoods – and they don’t need government to dictate it.
This plan will spark an historic grassroots movement that will restore local people’s power, boost national pride and help people get on in life across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.”
The UK Government has invited local authorities to propose communities in their areas to take part int the Pride in Place Programme. In a statement the UK Government noted that this would be an “inclusive process where the local authority will engage with local stakeholders including MPs, MSs and the Welsh Government to ensure local fit and alignment with existing schemes such as placemaking plans and the Transforming Towns initiative.”
