Pride in Place

I’ve secured £20 million Pride in Place funding from the Government for Digmoor, Skelmersdale.  

Digmoor will receive £2 million from the Government every year for 10 years. 

This funding will be transformational for our community. Unlike previous Governments which have turned their back on West Lancashire, Labour is investing in our future.  

And the best bit about it all? You, the community, will get to decide how this money is spent.  

What is Pride in Place?

I’ve been working with the Government to make the case for investment in areas right across the country like Skem where people tell me they have felt left behind by previous governments.  

We want people to feel pride in Digmoor and surrounding areas, and empower the local community to make decisions about the place where they live.  

The investment should impact the local community beyond the 10 years of the programme, benefitting many generations to come. 

The Government recognises that local communities know best the issues of the local area and what they need. That’s why this programme is being led by local people.  

Neighbourhood Board

A Neighbourhood Board will decide how the money is spent in the community.  

The board will be made up of local people because the people who know best about how money can be used to make Skem better for all of us are the people who live here. 

Chair of the Board

West Lancashire Borough Council and I are currently recruiting a Chair of the Board. 

The Chair should, live or work in the local area, have strong local credibility, and demonstrate a commitment to community leadership.   

Having your say

Once the Chair of the Board has been recruited, there will be further information on how to get involved. The board will be seeking views of local residents as to what this money should be spent on. 

In the meantime, my survey is open for residents of Digmoor and wider Skelmersdale. Please complete the survey and share with friends and family. 

The views collected in this survey will be fed into the Board’s Pride in Place Plan. 

What can the money be spent on?

Although it’s not an exhaustive list, the Government has suggested some ways that the £20m could be spent, such as: 

• Improving high streets and the public area 

• Creating and improving green spaces 

• Arts, cultural, heritage and creative projects 

• Support for homelessness 

• Modernisation of social housing 

• Improving communal gardens 

• Upgrading play areas 

• Support for employment 

• Local business support and networks 

• Training courses 

• Local attractions 

• Community cohesion projects 

• Designing local services 

• Youth groups 

• Voluntary and social action projects 

• Health and wellbeing 

• Local sports  

• Transport  

• Safety and security – e.g. crime prevention, anti-social behaviour 

• Family and children support 

For the full list of ideas, please visit: Pride in Place Programme: list of indicative interventions – GOV.UK  

Further information

You can read the Government’s Pride in Place prospectus here: Pride in Place Programme prospectus – GOV.UK