Pride in Ellesmere Port

Pride in Place is a UK-wide grant programme investing up to £20 million over 10 years in disadvantaged neighbourhoods identified by the government as most in need of support.

This long-term investment is intended to support communities in shaping their place and help address local priorities, making lasting and positive change for their area. While success will look different in every place, the strategic objectives of the programme are to:

• build stronger communities
• create thriving places
• empower people to take back control

In Cheshire West and Chester two areas, Blacon and Ellesmere Port Town and Rossmore have been allocated as a Pride in Place funding area. (We will provide more information on the areas of Ellesmere Port this includes shortly – along with a map).

Neighbourhood boards

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.

What will happen in Ellesmere Port and Rossmore

A neighbourhood board for Ellesmere Port and Rossmore will be created to decide where and how funding will be spent. Including local people, the board will bring together residents, local businesses and those with a deep connection to the area. The Board will be representative of the communities that it serves. 

Independent Chair and Board

The Neighbourhood Board will be led by an independent chair, appointed in consultation with the local MP for the area, Justin Madders. The Chair will act as a champion for Ellesmere Port and Rossmore and local people, supporting and organising engagement that reaches out into the community, to ensure decision-making is community-led. The Chair will lead the process of recruiting and convening the Neighbourhood Board, with the support of the local authority and Justin Madders MP. 

Justin Madders MP will be a member of the Ellesmere Port and Rossmore Pride in Place Board, and alongside us will appoint the Chair through an open recruitment process and support the appointment of board members. The Chair and Board members will then work together to engage communities and develop a 10-year plan to deliver local priorities.

Once the chair has been appointed, board members will be recruited and the Ellesmere Port and Rossmore Pride in Place Board will be established. 

We will act as the accountable body for the programme initially with responsibility for ensuring that public funds are distributed fairly and effectively.

Pride in Place Plans

Neighbourhood Boards will co-create a Pride in Place Plan with the wider community, supported by us and the local MP. The Plan will outline the community’s vision for change over the next decade. Communities will have an opportunity to have a say in the future of their area. Neighbourhood Boards will carry out extensive engagement with the community to make sure that a diverse range of voices are heard in developing this plan and at every stage of the programme.

Timescales

The initial phases of the Pride in Place programme are as follows:

Timeframe	Milestone
Spring 2026	Recruitment and appointment of independent Chair
Spring/ Summer 2026	Neighbourhood Board Members to be appointed
Summer 2026	Neighbourhood Board to confirm finalised membership and submit any proposals to alter their area boundary. Neighbourhood Board to engage with local community to shape a 10-year regeneration plan.
Autumn 2026	Neighbourhood Board to submit a regeneration plan to Government for assessment and approval.
Spring 2027	Government expected to approve regeneration plans and release the first substantive delivery funding payment to local authorities, marking the beginning of the delivery phase.

How to get involved

If you are a local resident you are encouraged to share your thoughts on the future of your community with your MP and through community engagement opportunities which will be widely promoted. You can also be involved by applying for the role of Chair or a Member of the Board.

Resources

To find out more about the Pride in Place programme visit the government website. Here you can find the fund prospectus and details of funding profiles and timelines, governance and boundary guidance, and a list of indicative interventions.