Exeter scoops £20m Pride in Place cash

Exeter is celebrating after being awarded £20 million Pride in Place funding to strengthen neighbourhoods within the city. 

The money will be spent over the course of ten years in Whipton and Heavitree. 

The Pride in Place Programme is designed to put communities at the centre of decision-making, ensuring that investment represents the needs, ideas and ambitions of local people.   

The council will work with the local MP to set up a new Neighbourhood Board to work out the best way to spend the money. The Board will bring together residents, councillors, local organisations and partners to identify priorities and guide how the funding is used. 

The Board will work with the community to co-create a Pride in Place Plan, setting out how the £20 million will be spent over the course of the decade.  It’s up to the Board to decide what’s in the plan but it must be able to show that it’s a genuine reflection of what local residents want. 

The money could be spent on a number of things, all of which are aimed at supporting the local neighbourhood. 

The programme aims to deliver lasting change beyond the 10 years of investment. 

Council Leader Phil Bialyk said: “This is great news for Exeter. The funding will deliver real change over the next decade and beyond.”   

Cllr Matt Vizard, Lead Councillor with responsibility for communities, said: "The Labour Government's Pride in Place funding for Exeter is fantastic news. This represents a huge investment in Whipton and Heavitree, and will bring wider benefits to the city. 

"Above all, this funding empowers local people to generate ideas to shape and boost pride in their communities. I am excited to see what projects come forward." 

Chief Executive Bindu Arjoon said: “Setting up a Neighbourhood Board allows local people to help shape the future of their neighbourhood and come up with ideas on how the money will be spent. This will complement the great work that is already happening in our neighbourhoods throughout the city.” 

Work will now begin to establish the Neighbourhood Board and start engagement with communities across Exeter, ensuring that local voices are at the heart of shaping future plans. 

Further updates will be shared as the programme develops.