Agenda item

Report of the Director of Strategy and Performance

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Strategy and Performance, that sought approval for the Council to act as the accountable body in respect of the Government’s Pride in Place programme.

The Government’s Pride in Place programme, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), is a long-term investment and capacity-building programme, designed to strengthen social and civic infrastructure and support renewal in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.  Each neighbourhood would receive up to £20m over 10 years, with funding split 63% capital and 37% revenue, in line with Government requirements.

MHCLG guidance required the programme to be community-led, with local priorities set through Neighbourhood Boards, whilst the Council acts as accountable body for the public funds and compliance.  

Coventry had been selected for the programme in three of it’s neighbourhoods:

·  Willenhall (Phase 2, announced in September 2025)

·  Tile Hill (Phase 2 extension, announced in March 2026)

·  Hillfields (Phase 2 extension, announced in March 2026)

The neighbourhood boundaries were defined by the MHCLG using Middle Layer Super Output Area geographies, which were detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

Details of the MHCLG’s requirements for the programme and for the Neighbourhood Boards were set out in the report, including:

·  A requirement for Neighbourhood Boards to have an independent Chair, jointly approved by the local authority and MP.

·  Coventry’s Proposed Governance Model.

·  Each Neighbourhood Board would be community-led, with the majority of members living or working in the neighbourhood.

·  The Council’s role as accountable body.

·  Management of funds.

·  Funding and support.

·  Changes to Boundaries.

·  Reporting and Accountability.

The Cabinet agreed to:

1.  Approve the Council’s participation as Accountable Body in the Pride in Place Programme for each of the three neighbourhoods and to accept funding of up to £2.5m per neighbourhood.  This approval includes, but not limited to, the Council undertaking the roles and responsibilities allocated to it by the MHCLG as Accountable Body and the adoption of the Pride in Place Programme governance arrangements, receiving the geographical boundary for the Pride in Place Programme as determined and delegation of authority to the Director of Strategy and Performance following consultation with the Director of Law, Governance and Safer Communities, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, appropriate MP and Chair of the Board to make any necessary representation to Government to amend the boundary following consultation with the newly established Neighbourhood Boards.

2.  Note that in 2025/26, the following actions have been undertaken by the Council (working with the relevant MP):

a.  Receipt of £585,000 of revenue funding across the three neighbourhoods, with further payments of both capital and revenue funding to be received in subsequent years over a ten-year period in line with the Pride in Place funding profile and timelines, set out in the MHCLG Prospectus.

b.  Acceptance of the sum of £285,000 in relation to Willenhall neighbourhood under delegated authority afforded to officers under Paragraph 4.5 of Part 3F (finance Procedure Rules) of the Council’s Constitution.

c.  Appointment of the Neighbourhood Chair for the Willenhall Neighbourhood Board with ongoing engagement to appoint members of the Neighbourhood Board.

d.  Advertisement for two Change Manager posts that will focus on ensuring that the Council can successfully fulfil its responsibilities as Accountable Body for each of the three areas.

e.  Commencement of the advertisement campaign for the appointment of the Neighbourhood Chair for the Tile Hill Neighbourhood Board and the Hillfields Neighbourhood Board. The Council Representatives for the interview panel in relation to the appointment of the Neighbourhood Chair shall be as follows:

  Tile Hill: Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities

  Hillfields: Leader of the Council

3.  Delegates authority to the Director of Strategy and Performance following consultation with the Director of Law, Governance and Safer Communities (Monitoring Officer), the Director of Finance and Resources and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, to review and formally accept the subsequent Pride in Place offer / grant conditions from Government (for Willenhall, Tile Hill and Hillfields).

4.  Delegates authority to the Director of Strategy and Performance, following consultation with the Director of Law, Governance and Safer Communities (Monitoring Officer), the Director of Finance and Resources and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to assist in establishing three Pride in Place Neighbourhood Boards (one for each of the neighbourhoods of Willenhall, Tile Hill and Hillfields) through assisting with the necessary selection processes to make appointments to the Board and Independent Chair position.

5.  Delegates authority to the Director of Strategy and Performance following consultation with Director of Director of Law, Governance and Safer Communities (Monitoring Officer), the Director of Finance and Resources, the appropriate MP and the Chair of the Neighbourhood Boards (once appointed) to finalise the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board Terms of Reference and Board Membership and to make any changes to respond to Government guidance or requirements. This delegation of authority shall include making arrangements for the reasonable expenses of Board members to be covered in accordance with Government guidance and requirements (including but not limited to the Pride in Place Programme prospectus and guidance).

6.  Delegates authority to the to the newly appointed Neighbourhood Boards; once constituted, to develop a Pride in Place Plan (which shall include public consultation with the residents of the three Neighbourhoods) to submit to Government (subject to Section 151 Officer authorisation).

7.  Delegates authority to the Director of Strategy and Performance following consultation with Director of Director of Law, Governance and Safer Communities (Monitoring Officer) and the Director of Finance and Resources to authorise spend of any Pride in Place Programme funding  for the purposes of establishing the Neighbourhood Board, developing the Pride in Place Plan, programme management, technical expertise for project development and other activities in accordance with government guidance (including but not limited to the Pride in Place Programme).

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet recommends that Council:

1.  Approves the acceptance of the subsequent Pride in Place Programme grant funding of up to £20m per neighbourhood (being a total of up to £60m).