Pride in Place Programme | Stoke-on-Trent

Pride in Place: a better future, decided by you

What is Pride in Place?

Stoke-on-Trent will receive up to £40 million over the next decade to bring about radical improvements and build safer, cleaner, better communities.

The money will be spent in two priority areas – Meir North and Bentilee and Ubberley – after both were selected as priority neighbourhoods by the government.

It could be spent on anything from making streets safer, to providing new facilities and events, to enhancing community spaces.

The money is coming from a national scheme called Pride in Place. You can read more about this here.

The scheme isn’t just about reshaping neighbourhoods, fixing long-term problems and delivering support in areas that need it most.

It is also about giving local people real power in the decision-making progress. It is about creating pride, bringing people together – and putting the community in control of its own future.

To find out how you can get involved, read on…

How will the money be spent?

Pride in Place is a 10-year programme focused on strengthening local communities.

Every area receives long-term funding, allowing improvements to be planned and delivered over several years rather than short-term fixes.

Funding is designed to help neighbourhoods:

Improve streets and public spaces
Refresh parks and green areas
Support local shops and high streets
Protect important community buildings
Create places that feel safer and more welcoming
Give residents more say in local decisions

Why Meir North and Bentilee?

The areas which will receive Pride in Place funding were chosen by the government.

Around 380 communities across the UK will receive support.

It is one of the biggest investments in local neighbourhoods for a generation.

All the neighbourhoods selected by the government have faced challenges for many years.

They are areas identified as having:

a lack of facilities and places for people to meet
public spaces and streets that need improving
a lack of opportunity for young and old alike
residents who feel powerless and left out of decision-making
pockets of deprivation

You can read more about Meir North and Bentilee and Ubberley in the separate pages below.

Who will decide how the money is spent?

Each area will have a new neighbourhood board that will oversee spending. This will be made up mostly of local residents and will include the local MP and ward councillors. The city council will support the work of the board.

The board will work with the whole community to create a 10‑year plan for how the money should be spent.

The decisions must be:

led by local residents
based on community conversations
checked by the council and local MP

All Neighbourhood Boards must be fully set up by July 17, 2026, and confirmed with government.

Money will be released gradually over the decade in line with the 10-year plan. It will include capital and revenue funding.

Each area must move towards community led delivery by around year three of the programme.

The fund can support many types of improvements, such as:

community spaces
cleaner, safer and better‑designed streets
youth clubs and family support
health and wellbeing projects
jobs, skills and local economic activity

Boards have the freedom to choose what matters most, based on what residents say.

How can I get involved?

Right now, the most important thing you can do is share your ideas for what would make the biggest difference in your area.

You can:

Tell us what you think your neighbourhood needs
Join local workshops, conversations or surveys
Ask about joining the neighbourhood board

To get involved, click on your area link below. If you have general queries, contact Stoke-on-Trent City Council using the email address communities@stoke.gov.uk or get in touch with your local MP.

Meir North

Bentilee and Ubberley