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Written question asked by Baroness Buscombe (Conservative) on Monday, 9 February 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 February 2026. It was answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Labour) on Monday, 23 February 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.


Pride in Place Programme

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that direct funding allocated to the Pride in Place programme will support only legitimate high-street businesses.

Answer

The Government has launched its flagship Pride in Place Programme, which will provide up to £20 million of flexible funding and support to 284 neighbourhoods over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities.

The Pride in Place Programme is community-led, with Neighbourhood Boards made up of local people deciding how funding is invested, supported by the local MP and the local authority. Neighbourhood Boards have the flexibility to invest in a wide range of activity where this reflects community priorities, including projects and interventions to support and revitalise local high streets.

Neighbourhood Boards must work with local people and the local authority to develop a Pride in Place Plan, setting out the community’s vision for change over the next decade. Neighbourhood Boards should engage the relevant accountable body to decide how best to manage project appraisals, due diligence, awards to organisations and contractual and payment arrangements.

The Government has put in place robust governance and assurance arrangements to safeguard public funds and ensure appropriate financial oversight across all Pride in Place neighbourhoods, with funding delivered through the relevant local authorities acting as the accountable bodies. Programme assurance follows a three lines of defence model, with the first line provided by local authority Chief Financial Officers, the second by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through proportionate, risk-based checks, and the third by MHCLG’s independent auditors.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL14415
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Urban areas Pride in place programme
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk