Pride in Place – Proud of Blacon

Pride in Place is a UK-wide grant programme investing up to £20 million over 10 years in  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

So Far…

• Government announced £20 million Pride in Place investment in Blacon over the next 10 years.
• Samantha Dixon, Member of Parliament for Chester North and Neston wrote to every household in Blacon sharing the new and encouraging to get involved and share their thoughts through a resident survey. The results of this survey will be shared with the neighbourhood board once it has been formed to help inform their work.
• A number of schools and local community groups were visited to encourage engagement and encourage local residents to have their say.
• Local drop-in event was held by Samantha Dixon MP and local Blacon councillors to listen to local voices and answer their questions.
• Now Samantha Dixon MP and Cheshire West and Chester Council are moving forward with the next stage of the process to recruit a local neighbourhood board led by an independent chair.

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.

Forming a neighbourhood board in Blacon

A neighbourhood board for Blacon 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, Samantha Dixon and the local authority, Cheshire West and Chester Council. The Chair will act as a champion for Blacon 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 Samantha Dixon MP.

As per the Government Pride in Place guidance Samantha Dixon MP will be a member of the Blacon Pride in Place Board, and alongside Cheshire West and Chester Council 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 conduct further community engagement and develop a 10-year plan to deliver local priorities.

About the Role and how to apply

Please refer to the document below for the full role description and information on how to apply for the Chair or Neighbourhood Board. If you have any questions about the application process or the wider programme, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on samantha.dixon.mp@parliament.uk. Please send your applications and expressions of interest to Samantha Dixon MP by 23:59pm Wednesday 27th May 2026.

Once the chair has been appointed, board members will be recruited and the Blacon Pride in Place Board will be established.  At this stage in the process, the Neighbourhood Board can apply to expand the geographical boundary of the programme.

Cheshire West and Chester Council 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:

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.