Discussions begin to help 'left behind' communities

A council has begun discussions on how to use £60m of targeted funding for deprived communities.

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) said the "left behind" areas were places with high levels of deprivation and a lack of community facilities.

Under the government's Pride in Place Programme, up to £20m each is set to be allocated to Avondale Grange in Kettering, Kingswood and Hazel Leys in Corby, and Queensway in Wellingborough, with the aim of building stronger communities and delivering improvements over the next decade.

Reform UK councillor Graham Cheatley, ward councillor for Kingswood, said residents' involvement in the decade-long transformation project was "crucial".

He added: "Some of those estates are really deprived and one of the biggest things that I think really depresses people is the environment itself."

The council said the chosen areas formed part of the 250 most in-need neighbourhoods across Britain.

Council leader Martin Griffiths said: "The Pride in Place plans will outline a programme for delivery of a range of projects over the course of the 10-year period and beyond, considering opportunities to attract and combine new and existing private, public, and other funding streams.

"The fund has three objectives: to build stronger communities; to create thriving places; and to empower people to take back control.

"These are all objectives which myself and my peers are fundamentally aligned to - I look forward to getting on with this work."

Governance arrangements will be discussed by the council's executive committee on 17 February, to progress the next steps of assembling the boards and taking on accountable-body responsibilities.

The council and the local MP must approve the final board selection.

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