Cabinet
Subject: Pride in PlaceProgramme
Date of meeting: Thursday, 19 March 2026
Report of: Leader of the Council
Lead Officer: Corporate Director for Homes & Adult Social Care
Contact Officer: Darren Levy
Email: Darren.levy@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: Whitehawk & Marina;
Key Decision: Yes
Reason(s) Key: Expenditure which is, or the making of savings which are, significant having regard to the expenditure of the City Council’s budget, namely above £1,000,000.
1.1 This report briefs members on the inclusion of Whitehawk area in the Government’s Pride in Place Programme. It asks Cabinet to note the nature of this community-led programme and seeks approval for the actions required from the City Council to support the establishment of a Neighourhood Board and the facilitation of early community engagement, using grant funding received from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
1.2 The Council Plan ‘A Better Brighton & Hove 2023 to 2027’ sets out a vision for Brighton & Hove to be a city to be proud of and a healthy, fair and inclusive city where everyone thrives. This report proposes the administration and delivery of a programme of grant funded investment which will directly contribute to the delivery of outcome 1, A city to be proud of’, outcome 2. ‘A fair and inclusive city’ and outcome 3. ‘A healthy city that helps people thrive’.
2. Recommendations
2.1 That Cabinet approves the acceptance of the Pride in Place funding award by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) as set out in section 3 of this report.
2.2 That Cabinet agrees that the Council shall provide support to the Pride of Place Programme in the terms specified by MCHLG, including acting as the Board’s Accountable Body, in accordance with the obligations and requirements of the Programme.
2.3 That Cabinet delegates authority to the Council’s S151 Officer, in liaison with the Leader of the Council, to take all actions necessary to support the establishment of the Neighbourhood Board, including appropriate governance arrangements, and to oversee the administration of all Pride in Place grant funding received from the MHCLG in accordance with published guidance and legal responsibilities.
2.4 That Cabinet notes the intention for the ward councillors for Whitehawk ward to be appointed by full Council at its AGM in May 2026 as members of the Neighbourhood Board.
2.5 That Cabinet notes a further report will come to Cabinet in January 2027 to update on the governance and administrative arrangements that have been put in place with the Neighbourhood Board and to report on the long-term plan.
3.1 The Pride in Place Strategy and Programme was launched by the Prime Minister in late September 2025. The initiative is a long-term, community-led programme that gives local people power over how investment is used in their neighbourhood. Investment funding will be up to £20 million over a 10-year period.
3.2 An area broadly described as Whitehawk was selected in the Pride in Place Programme by government. Please see the initial boundary map at Appendix 1. Locations were selected by criteria described as those that are ‘doubly disadvantaged’ by both the highest deprivation levels and weakest social infrastructure. The government has used ‘needs metrics’, such as the Index of Multiple Deprivation, to identify areas for funding awards. Further detail of the data can be found here.Background document 1 - Pride in Place Programme_ FAQ - GOV.UK
3.3 The recently announced Pride in Place programme is referred to as Phase 2, with the previous ‘Plan for Neighbourhood’ initiative, now referred to as Phase 1 of Pride in Place.
3.4 Initial guidance for phase 2 was published in September 2025 alongside the government’s original announcement, with detailed guidance then released in December 2025 which can be found here Background document 2 - Pride in Place Programme prospectus - GOV.UK
3.5 The award represents a unique and exciting opportunity for the city and the Council to support local residents in driving long lasting and material change, to improve the quality of life and living environment across the Whitehawk neighbourbood area.
3.6 The Neighbourhood Board
3.7 Core to the funding and the programme is the creation of a Neighbourhood Board. The Neighbourhood Board needs to include residents, community representatives and key partners, alongside the local MP and at least one ward councilor.
3.8 The Board will be responsible for developing a 10-year regeneration plan to utilise the £20 million funding stream. Its core functions will be to:
· Set priorities based on community engagement
· Oversee the creation and implementation of the long-term plan
· Guide how Pride in Place funding is used
· Ensure transparency, inclusion and accountability
3.9 The Guidance specifies that the Neighbourhood Board should be led by an independent Chair, appointed by the local authority and the local MP.
3.10 A recruitment campaign advertising for a Chair was launched by the Council in partnership with the local MP in February 2026, with the aim of making an appointment by April 2026.
3.11 The Council has also invited nominees from local community and resident groups to be part of a stakeholder panel that will form part of the recruitment and selection process for the Whitehawk Neighbourhood Board Chair.
3.12 The role of the Chair of the Neighbourhood Board can be summarised as
below, to:
· Bring together residents, community groups and partners
· Ensure local voices shape decisions
· Chair meetings and support inclusive discussion
· Act as a public champion for Whitehawk
3.13 The government has said that Neighbourhood Boards should reflect the diversity and range of needs across the neighbourhood they represent. At least 51% of Board members should either be living or working within the area to ensure it is community and resident led.
3.14 The governance arrangements of the Neighbourhood Board are to be agreed with the Council in consultation with the Local MP, once it has been established. The terms of reference for the Board will include:
· Governance Model
· Role and Responsibilities
· Board Positions
· Code of Conduct
· Decision Making
· Scrutiny
· Transparency and Accountability
· Board Member profiles
· Conflicts of Interest
· Scheme of Delegations
3.15
The government prospectus sets out an expectation that each
Board must transition towards a community-led model of delivery by
year three of the programme. This might mean an established local
community organisation acting as an anchor institution, or the
Board itself becoming a co-operative, community interest company,
community benefit society or charity. A new Communities Delivery
Unit in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
will support the transition.
3.16 Neighourhood Area
3.17 The draft boundary for the neighbourhood area was included within the information provided to the Council as part of the award of Pride in Place funding and is found at Appendix 1 -PIPP Whitehawk Boundary Map. The government has set out guidance for how Neighborhood Boards may seek to alter the boundary area.
3.18 Guidance set out in the prospectus allows boards to “Define the Neighbourhood.” The Board is able to amend their boundaries, upon agreement with the MHCLG. Changes must be within the spirit of the programme and underpinned by evidence of community support. Proposals to alter the ‘default’ area boundary must be submitted to MHCLG by 17 July 2026. Background document 3- Pride in Place Programme_ governance and boundary guidance - GOV.UK
3.19 Resourcing Requirements
3.20 Adequate resourcing will be required within the Council to support the activities of the Board and fulfil both the Council’s legal and financial obligations in being the accountable body for the administration of funding from MHCLG, and then to issue funding as directed by the Neighbourhood Board.
3.21 Work is underway to assess requirements, and approval is sought in the first instance at 2.3 to progress in agreeing and implementing appropriate governance and resources.
3.22 As outlined at 2.5, it is intended to bring a further report back to Cabinet ahead of the full funding programme commencing in April 2027; to provide assurance to Cabinet that appropriate arrangements are in place and to seek any further approvals and delegations as appropriate.
3.23 The revenue element of ongoing funding, as outlined as 3.26, can be used to fund the support and administration of the Programme.
3.24 Funding and Interventions
3.25 The Pride in Place funding programme sets out that the Whitehawk neighbourhood will receive £20m of funding and support over 10 years. This is broken down to 67% capital funding and 33% revenue funding.
3.26 In January 2026, the Council received forward revenue capacity funding of £0.150m, with a further £0.270m to be paid in two tranches over the 2026/27 financial year.
3.27 In addition, capital funding of £0.120m is also being provided for 2026/27, ahead of the main programme of funding starting from April 2027.
3.28 This funding is to help support the Council in establishing and then supporting the Neighbourhood Board, to provide funding for the Neighbourhood Board’s engagement programme which will inform the outline investment programme and can also be used as a source of funding for immediate priorities and projects as requested or required by the local community and residents.
3.29 A list of pre-approved interventions has been included within the guidance for the programme, see Background Document 4 - Pride in Place Programme_ list of indicative interventions - GOV.UK which would not require further approvals from MHCLG and so allowing the Neighbourhood Board the freedom to award funds directly, if the allocations are within the parameters of the pre-approved list. As the accountable body the Council will have obligations to ensure monies are appropriately allocated and spent.
3.30 Where potential activity falls outside the scope of the indicative interventions, but the Board based on their community engagement believe they are core to meeting local needs, the government would still consider these initiatives. They would though require a separate business case, to be agreed with the Council and MHCLG
3.31 Timetable
3.32 An outline timetable for the coming year of the Whitehawk programme is set out below:
· January 2026 first tranche of funding allocated to the Council
· February – March 2026 Advertisement of Chair role and recruitment process
· March 2026 Cabinet report to seek necessary delegations for the Pride in Place Programme
· April 2026 Appointment of Chair
· April – July 2026 Recruitment and appointment of Neighbourhood Board
· 17th July 2026 Deadline for informing MHCLG of proposed Neighbourhood Board membership
· July – November 2026 Community engagement and development of long-term plan
· November / December 2026 Neighbourhood Board to submit plan to MHCLG
· April 2027 10-year funding and plan commences
4.1 The guidance and requirements of the Pride in Place programme are quite prescriptive, and so no alternative model has been considered.
4.2 It is a working assumption that the Council would want to continue with the programme and will be minded to support the long-term funding being made available to one of its areas.
4.3 The proposed delegations will enable final details for the establishment of the Neighbourhood Board to be agreed in partnership with the Council.
5.1 A range of community stakeholders have been invited to form a stakeholder panel that will be a part of the recruitment process for the Chair of the Neighbourhood Board.
5.2 Once in post, the Chair - with the support of the Council, local MP and Whitehawk ward councillors - will initiate a recruitment process for the Neighbourhood Board, targeting local residents and communities.
5.3 Once the Neighbourhood Board is established, a programme of engagement will be undertaken to inform the long-term plan to be submitted to MHCLG. The details of the engagement programme will be agreed and overseen by the Neighbourhood Board.
6.1 As outlined in the report, the total funding allocation for the Pride in Place programme is up to £20m over 10 years, of which 67% is capital funding and 33% is revenue funding. This includes £0.420m to resource the initial set-up and ongoing operation of a Neighbourhood Board. Please see: Background document 5 - Pride in Place Programme_ funding profiles and timelines - GOV.UK
6.2 The Neighbourhood Board that is being established will give local people the power to decide how funding is spent, and this report seeks Cabinet’s approval to delegate authority to the S151 officer to administer the funding.
6.3 Further Cabinet approval will need to be sought ahead of the full funding programme commencing in April 2027.
Name of finance officer consulted: Sophie Warburton Date consulted: 12/02/2026
7.1 While section 1 of the Localism Act 2021 gives local authorities a general power of competence to do anything which an individual may do for the benefit of the authority, its area or persons resident or present in their area, Cabinet will wish to note those parts of the guidance which emphasize the key importance of the Council’s role as accountable body. The guidance states that "the relevant local authority in each place will act as the accountable body for the funds with responsibility for ensuring that public funds are distributed fairly and effectively, and that funds have been managed in line with the Nolan Principles and Managing Public Money principles". This guidance goes on to state that "accountable bodies may need to recover funding from project deliverers where subsidy control or state aid law has not been complied with" and "work closely with their place’s Neighbourhood Board to develop and embed appropriate processes and controls for funding".
7.2 As accountable body, the Council will retain responsibility for ensuring that all awards of grants under the Pride in Place scheme are legally compliant. This will require checking that the terms of any grant award that is made do not conflict with any other funding or other restriction already in place in relation to a scheme, project or property, as well as ensuring compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty and obtaining any necessary Environmental Assessments. Where any grant funds are to be spent on supplies, works or services, the Council must undertake any commissioning activity in accordance with its Contract Procedure Rules and any relevant national procurement legislation, while meeting any framework or procurement related obligations.
7.3 In the award of any grants or the passporting of grant monies, it will be for the Council to consider the Subsidy Control regime and to comply with relevant provisions. The guidance expressly notes the risk that grant awards may amount to a subsidy under the Subsidy Control Act 2022, and external advice is considered likely to be needed to support this.
7.4 The above expectations will apply in addition to the Council’s transparency obligations, which must be complied with. In all of this, it will be incumbent on the Council to discharge its responsibilities in accordance with the obligations imposed on it by the MCHLG in the grant arrangements it specifies. The Council will be required to meet the objectives, terms and conditions and milestones of the funding imposed by the funding authority. This includes any requirement to provide match funding, as well as the requirement to keep any necessary records and file any necessary returns. While the terms of any MoU or grant agreement will be reviewed by the SRO, supported by legal and finance colleagues, where those provisions generate risk then the S151 officer will be alerted.
Name of lawyer consulted: Victoria Simpson Date consulted: 02.03.2026
8.1 The timescales for the Pride in Place Phase 2 present a risk as the Regeneration Plan is required to be submitted by the end of 2026.
8.2 Risks are associated with managing and meeting community expectations, including around the speed with which the delivery of interventions is agreed and implemented.
8.3 Risks are associated with ensuring adequate Council resources are in place to enable it to support the initiative effectively, including but not only by acting as the accountable body for the fund throughout the 10-year programme period, assuming it retains that role.
8.4 These risks will require robust programme management from both the Neighbourhood Board and Council, with adequate resourcing being agreed within the Council to support, enable and facilitate the programme. A comprehensive programme of community engagement and resident consultation will be required to develop a long-term plan based on the priorities of the community.
8.5 MHCLG requires the Council and Neighbourhood Board to report on progress with the programme on a 6 and 12-month basis. This is set out in their monitoring guidance, please see: Background document 6 - Pride in Place Programme_ monitoring guidance - GOV.UK
8.6 The information and data that will be required is intended to:
· Ensure MHCLG have a programme level view of progress across all places
· Allow MHCLG to monitor that the Programme’s monies are being spent on local priorities, and that project/activity delivery is in line with expectations detailed in Investment Plans
· Support additional performance management processes, e.g. project change processes and formalised end of investment period progress reviews
· Ensure effective programme communications, allowing MHCLG to collect and highlight examples of successful delivery and impact in places
8.7 A formalised progress review will take place at the end of each investment
period. These review points will allow the MHCLG’s Communities Delivery Unit to consider whether the Programme’s strategic objectives are being delivered effectively and how expenditure is progressing against forecasts. Further detail on measures that could be taken in the case of non-performance are still to be published. please see: Background Document 6 - Pride in Place Programme_ monitoring guidance - GOV.UK
9. Equalities implications
9.1 There are no direct Equalities Implications in the context of this report and the approvals requested.
10.1 There are no direct Sustainability Implications in the context of this report
and the approvals requested.
11. Health and Wellbeing Implications:
11.1 There are no direct Health and Wellbeing Implications in the context of this report and the approvals requested.
12. Procurement implications
12.1 There are no direct Procurement Implications in the context of this report and the approvals requested.
13. Crime & disorder implications:
13.1 There are no direct Procurement Implications in the context of this report and the approvals requested.
14.1 The Pride in Place programme is an exciting and potentially life and place changing programme of funding and activity, to be led by the priorities of the residents and communities of Whitehawk.
14.2 It will be crucial to the success of the programme for the Council to ensure it has adequate resources, governance and financial robustness in place, to enable it to fulfil the role of accountable body. The intention of this paper is to provide the foundation for that implementation over the coming year.
14.3 It is strongly recommended that Cabinet embrace the opportunity that has been awarded to Whitehawk by the government, and consent to the Council accepting the Pride in Place programme requirements and funding.
Supporting Documentation
1. Whitehawk Boundary Map
Background Documents
1. Pride in Place Programme FAQ: Pride in Place Programme: FAQ - GOV.UK
2. Pride in Place programme prospectus: Pride in Place Programme: prospectus - GOV.UK
3. Pride in Place Programme Governance and Boundary guidance: Pride in Place Programme: governance and boundary guidance - GOV.UK
4. List of indicative interventions: Pride in Place Programme: list of indicative interventions - GOV.UK
5. Pride in Place Programme – Funding profiles and timelines: Pride in Place Programme: funding profiles and timelines - GOV.UK
6. Pride in Place Programme Monitoring Guidance: Pride in Place Programme: monitoring guidance - GOV.UK