Druids Heath in Birmingham is set to receive £20m of government money over the next decade – and local people will decide how it’s spent.
Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, Al Carns, has secured £2 million a year until 2035 through the Pride in Place programme.
Druids Heath is among 146 areas chosen to pioneer this new approach to community investment in local projects, including revitalising parks and high streets to bringing empty buildings back into use.
A local board will be set up to coordinate the programme, notably what the cash is allocated to, and volunteers are being sought to take part.
Mr Carns said: “This funding will create new opportunities for young people, support initiatives that keep our streets safe, and strengthen pride in our community.
“Over the next ten years, this £20m will change lives – and I’ll make sure it’s directed to where local people need it most.
“No one understands a community better than the people who live there. That’s why the government has chosen a new approach – giving us the power to shape the future of our own area.”
The funding will be allocated to the local authority, with an independent board, comprising the MP, local councillors, and community leaders, responsible for deciding how it is spent.
