Havant has been awarded funding of up to £20 million from the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government’s (MHCLG) Pride in Place Programme. The money is for two of our most deprived neighbourhoods: Leigh Park and West Cowplain (Wecock) and will be used for projects that will benefit those communities over the next 10 years.
The programme gives control to the community to decide how best to spend the funding with extensive public consultation and engagement. Each area will be led by a Neighbourhood Board which is independent of the council and will bring together residents, local businesses, grassroots campaigners, workplace representatives, faith, and community leaders and those with a deep connection to their area.
Further information about the programme and the type of projects that could be funded can be found on the government website at Pride in Place Programme prospectus
| Chair recruitment process | February/March 2026 |
| Board recruitment process | May 2026 |
| First Board meeting | June 2026 |
| Approval of the Neighbourhood Board by MHCLG | 17th July 2026 |
| Boards write a Pride in Place Plan and submit to MHCLG for approval | 28th November 2026 |
Key to developing this vision will be the effective recruitment of a Chair for each area. The Pride in Place Chair is a strategic role that will provide leadership over the 10-year programme.
This role will help to recruit the wider board membership, develop the Pride in Place Plan, and drive forward the programme towards delivery. Additionally, the role will lead the transition to a community delivery model in future years.
If you have any queries or would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact the team at prideinplace@havant.gov.uk
To apply for the role, please read the documents below and complete the application form. Applications close at midnight on Friday 13 March.
The Chair will be responsible for forming the board in each area. Once the chairs have been appointed an open recruitment process will take place for the board members.
If you would like to register your interest in sitting on either Board please contact the team on prideinplace@havant.gov.uk stating which board you are interested in and your contact details.