Manchester names leaders for £100m neighbourhood plan

By hiyastar.co.uk News Desk

Up to £100m could be directed into Manchester neighbourhoods over the next decade under the Government’s Pride in Place Scheme, with four local chairs now named to lead new Neighbourhood Boards.

Manchester City Council has confirmed the first four community leaders who will help steer how the long-term funding is shaped in Benchill South & Wythenshawe Central, Clayton Vale, Gorton South, and Harpurhey South & Monsall. A fifth board for Moss Side West is still being appointed.

The money is not a single citywide pot for general council spending. The scheme is designed around neighbourhood-level boards, with residents and local representatives expected to influence priorities before projects are delivered.

Four boards now have named local chairs

The first appointments cover areas selected earlier this year for the Pride in Place Scheme. Each neighbourhood is expected to receive up to £20m over 10 years, subject to the programme’s rules and delivery process.

The neighbourhood boundaries named by the council include parts of several wider districts. Clayton Vale includes parts of Clayton, Openshaw, Newton Heath and Miles Platting. Gorton South includes parts of Longsight, Gorton, Abbey Hey and Levenshulme. Harpurhey South & Monsall includes parts of Harpurhey, Moston and Crumpsall.

Moss Side West, covering parts of Moss Side and Whalley Range, has also been selected for Pride in Place funding, but its chair and board process has not yet been completed.

Up to £20m per area over 10 years

The headline figure of up to £100m reflects five Manchester neighbourhoods being selected, each with a potential allocation of up to £20m over a decade. The caveat is the word “up to”: the source announcement confirms the scale of the opportunity, but does not set out a final project list, spending timetable or approved local budgets for individual schemes.

The Neighbourhood Boards are intended to become the main local forum for shaping how the money is spent. That could include public realm improvements, cultural activity, community facilities, local services or other priorities that emerge through the board process.

For residents, the immediate change is governance rather than construction. The appointments identify who will chair the local boards, not which streets, buildings or services will receive funding first.

Wythenshawe, Gorton, Clayton Vale and Harpurhey priorities

Eamonn O’Neal, OBE, will chair the Benchill South & Wythenshawe Central board. The broadcaster, journalist, Wythenshawe native and former High Sheriff of Manchester said he wanted projects to match “the community’s real priorities”, including sustainable cultural initiatives and suitable public realm development.

Jo Sharples has been named chair for Gorton South. The council said she has supported community-led initiatives in Longsight over the past six years and has used her experience as an architect to promote the area’s culture. She said the programme should create “genuinely community led regeneration” with long-lasting impact.

Andrew Wickens will chair the Clayton Vale board. An Anglican priest who has lived in the area for 16 years, he said he wants residents to have equitable provision and opportunities, with people able to develop their talents and have their voices heard.

Tom Woodcock will chair Harpurhey South & Monsall. The council highlighted his experience in the voluntary, healthcare and charity sectors, as well as his three decades living in Harpurhey ward with his family.

What residents can expect next

The next phase is the formation and work of the Neighbourhood Boards. Their role will be to turn broad Pride in Place funding into locally shaped plans, with residents expected to have a route into decisions through the board process.

Manchester City Council leader Cllr Bev Craig said the chairs’ direction and guidance would be vital as the boards work over the next decade. She described Pride in Place as a “once in a generation opportunity” for change to be driven by people living in the selected communities.

The council has said the Moss Side West chair appointment will be announced in the near future.

Source: Manchester City Council