Words by Ed King
Paulette Hamilton MP has secured £20m for investment into Kingstanding, as part of the £5bn nationwide ‘Pride in Place’ initiative announced by Government today.
The fund will be allocated across 10 years, with Kingstanding benefitting from an annual £2m pot of money to invest in local infrastructure and projects – such as renovating derelict buildings and shops, and reopening youth centres.
The money will be governed locally, with a with a board of local stakeholders and individuals overseeing how and where it is spent – chaired by Paulette Hamilton MP and including local residents, councillors, and community leaders.
Many Kingstanding locals have been campaigning for the equipment at Conker Island to be replaced and for the public play area to be improved, which is one local regeneration project that could be supported by the ‘Pride in Place’ funding pot.
Other local concerns that could be addressed with the funding could include challenging crime and anti-social behaviour, preserving and maintaining green spaces, and boosting retail hubs and outlets.
The investment will also come as part of a wider plan to empower local communities to have more control over how local assets are used and the types of businesses that move into their area.
At the time of writing, the Government has not confirmed when the local Pride in Place board will be formed – or when the money will be made available to spend on regeneration and projects in Kingstanding.
The ‘Pride in Place’ programme will support the Community Right to Buy initiative – a part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which gives community groups a head start on building a business case for asset transfers.
The Government programme will also boost local powers to enforce Compulsory Purchase Orders on derelict shops and abandoned buildings, forcing absentee landlords to sell neglected properties so they can be brought back into public use.
Paulette Hamilton MP, who has campaigned for the funding, said: “I promised to fight for investment in our area, and I am proud to have delivered on that promise.
“After securing nearly a million pounds for Operation Fearless in Erdington, I’ve now secured this £20 million for Kingstanding, a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
She added: “But the decisions on how it’s used must come from you, the residents of Kingstanding, who know our community best.”
In a statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the ‘Pride in Place’ initiative will see 339 “overlooked areas” receive millions in funding over the next decade.
The MHCLG wants the money to help “breathe new life into neglected communities” and encourage areas to “come together, rather than be divided” and choose “renewal… over decline”.
The department further stated the fund “lets local people call the shots” and would help in “restoring local pride” and support residents who want to “reclaim their streets.”
Steve Reed MP – the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government – confirmed “£20m pounds is coming to Kingstanding, thanks to your Labour MP Paulette Hamilton.”
He added: “That’s a huge amount of money [and it’s] going to make such a difference to the area, but best of all its local[s] who will decide how it will get spent.”
Steve Reed MP – the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
