Pride in Place – Proud of Blacon

The Pride in Place Programme empowers local people to shape the future of their neighbourhood. It gives communities the resources and tools to drive change themselves and shape their neighbourhoods for the better.

Local residents know what changes their areas need, and that is why communities will be leading the delivery of the programme. This community-led approach means that decision-making sits with local residents, giving people the power to shape the future of their areas.

Independent Chair and Proud of Blacon Board

The Neighbourhood Board is led by The Reverend Canon Christina (Tina) Upton an independent chair, appointed in consultation with the local MP for the area, Samantha Dixon and the local authority. The Board will act as champions for Blacon and local people, supporting and organising engagement that reaches out into the community, to ensure decision-making and the required regeneration plan is community informed.

MP

As per the Government Pride in Place guidance Samantha Dixon MP is a member of the Blacon Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board, and alongside Cheshire West and Chester Council supported the appointment of board members. The Chair and Board members will work together to conduct further community engagement and develop a 10-year plan to deliver local priorities.

Local Councillor

As per the Government Pride in Place guidance all Boards should include at least one ward councillor. As Board members, ward councillors can play a key role in convening and leading local partnership working with the community to shape local priorities. Councillor Carol Gahan is a member of the Proud of Blacon Neighbourhood Board.

Where relevant for the place, the Chair may wish to invite parish, town, or community councillors, noting that numbers of elected representatives should be limited to promote community leadership.

Role of Local Authority

While this is a community-led programme, as per the Government Pride in Place guidance the local authority has a crucial role to play in supporting delivery at a local level. The local authority will:

• Be the accountable body for Pride in Place Programme funding at the start of the programme and play a critical role in enabling and supporting the Neighbourhood Board to develop plans for spending.
• Work with the local MP to appoint the Neighbourhood Board Chair
• Work with the local MP to approve the final Board member selection proposed by the Chair
• Support the Neighbourhood Board to develop Pride in Place Plan, setting out a 10-year vision for the area and detailing how funding will be spent in the first 4-year investment cycle.