The search is underway for community leaders to help guide how £80 million of new funding will be invested across four Manchester neighbourhoods.
Earlier this year, Manchester was confirmed as a recipient of the Government’s Pride in Place funding, a programme designed to help shape the future of local communities over the next decade.
Four areas were chosen in Manchester which will have an investment of £20m each in the next decade.
The areas chosen were:
- Benchill South & Wythenshawe Central
- Clayton Vale (parts of Clayton, Openshaw, Newton Heath & Miles Platting)
- Gorton South (parts of Longsight, Gorton & Abbey Hey, Levenshulme)
- Harpurhey South & Monsall (parts of Harpurhey, Moston, Crumpsall)
Now, a call has gone out for people living in these areas to apply to become ‘independent community chairs’ for the newly created Neighbourhood Boards – important positions established to help lead the rollout of funding over the coming decade.
These voluntary roles will be about helping to build a consensus locally on how money is spent and what the money is spent on, bring together a range of different voices and opinions to the table, help lead engagement with the local community and most importantly, lead the Neighbourhood Board to develop 10-year Regeneration Plans and Investment Plans for their specific neighbourhoods.
These roles will be in support of the range of conversations that have been had over recent months, finding out what matters to local people in these areas.
If you think you fit the description below for an ideal candidate please get in touch with the Council and make your application.
Are you someone who:
- Lives, works or has a strong connection to the area
- Is respected locally and trusted to be fair and balanced
- Is personally committed to ensuring that diversity is valued and reflected in the Neighbourhood Board
- Can bring people together and facilitate good, collaborative conversations, where everyone is heard
- Will prioritise community engagement as a central pillar of the PiP programme
- Is clear about their own knowledge gaps and considers how the makeup of the Board helps this
- Open to learning, feedback and development, with an interest in mentoring and upskilling others
- Thinks laterally and creatively about solutions to problems and ways to draw in community voices
- Has the time to prioritise the role, represent the Board and acts as its public face.
Applications will open on February 28th, and close on March 29th.
Follow this link to make your application.
“The Pride in Place initiative presents a transformative opportunity for communities throughout Manchester.
“The people who live and work in these communities will be at the heart of developing plans on how this money will be spent, putting real power into their hands as we look to revitalise our communities. We’ve learned a great deal from the conversations we’ve had with ordinary Mancunians about what they need and how we as a Council can deliver even more for them.
“We know how many incredibly advocates there are across our city, people whose love and commitment for Manchester sets an example for us all. These are the people we want to see fill these roles, and I’d encourage anyone who thinks they are up for this challenge to get in touch and throw their hat in the ring.”
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council
