New neighbourhood boards in 75 areas to be given share of £1.5bn funding for local projects over next decade

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced plans to establish 75 'neighbourhood boards' with powers to decide on how to spend up to £20m in funding in their areas.

The plan will see £1.5bn in funding handed to the 75 new boards over the next decade and is aimed at funding local projects from high streets to local parks, youth clubs, cultural venues, libraries and health and wellbeing services.

According to the Ministry, the boards will be tasked with drawing up and implementing a new vision for their neighbourhood.

Mayors will also have a formal role in town boards, allowing local people to take advantage of the powers devolved from Westminster, the Ministry said.

Each board – which will be made up of residents and businesses and 'grass roots campaigners' – will decide how to spend up to £20 million, with options ranging from repairs to pavements and high streets, to setting up community grocers providing low-cost alternatives when shopping for essentials, as well as co-operatives or even neighbourhood watches.

Ministers have also published a list of regeneration powers that communities will be encouraged to use, like the power to save pubs by listing them as community assets, and the use of respect orders to tackle repeat offenders. 

Funding will be released from April 2025, with delivery investment commencing in 2026.

The areas were chosen after considering key factors, including rates of deprivation and healthy life expectancy.

Announcing the funding, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner said: "For years, too many neighbourhoods have been starved of investment, despite their potential to thrive and grow. Communities across the UK have so much to offer – rich cultural capital, unique heritage but most of all, an understanding of their own neighbourhood.

"We will do things differently, our fully funded Plan for Neighbourhoods puts local people in the driving seat of their potential, having control of where the Whitehall cash goes – what issues they want to tackle, where they want to regenerate and what growth they want turbocharge."

Adam Carey