Pride in Place - Hurstead and Smallbridge
Smallbridge and Hurstead have been selected to receive up to £20 million over 10 years (between 2025-2035) so they can decide how to regenerate their local area. This is part of the government’s Pride in Place programme, is government funded and aimed at putting power into the hands of local people in some of the most in-need neighbourhoods across the UK.
A Neighbourhood Board has been selected to represent local residents. It will work with the community to create a Pride in Place plan, setting out how up to £20 million will be spent over 10 years. The Board, alongside the local MP and council, will decide what goes into the plan, based on what local residents want.
Programme objectives
- Stronger communities: funding will be available to rebuild relationships, restoring a collective sense of belonging to the community, and bringing people together so they can feel proud of their area and safe in their neighbourhood.
- Thriving places: funding will be available for project that improve town centres and neighbourhoods so they reflect the needs and habits of their community, and residents should have a greater say in how they look and feel.
- Taking back control: to make sure children have the best start in life and that adults can live the life they want to, places will be able to design public services that are accessible, responsive, and tailored to local need. Investing in young people’s futures and in preventative measures now will ease pressure on services over the longer-term.
Timeline
- Early 2026: local community engagement and the establishment of Neighbourhood Boards.
- April 2026: first programme delivery funding payment to be made to lead local authorities which marks the commencement of the delivery phase. Some of this money will be to continue to support local community engagement with a small amount available for early “quick win” projects that have the support of the community.
- July 2026: Neighbourhood Boards to confirm finalised membership and any proposals to alter the area boundary to Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) by 17 July 2026.
- Autumn 2026: MHCLG to review membership and boundary proposals and confirm places whether acceptable.
- November 2026: Neighbourhood Boards submit their Pride in Place plan to MHCLG for assessment and approval by 28 November 2026.
- April 2027: programme delivery starts.
Next steps
There will be more information on how to get involved soon. We'll update this page when we have more details.
Smallbridge and Hurstead Neighbourhood Board meeting minutes
The Neighbourhood Board meets to discuss how we'll spend the money.
Members of the Smallbridge and Hurstead Neighbourhood Board
These are the members of the Smallbridge and Hurstead Neighbourhood Board.
Chair of the board
- Laura Rodwell - M6 Theatre
Members of the board
- Paul Waugh - Member of Parliament
- Councillor Danny Meredith - Rochdale Borough Council, lead member for housing and regeneration
- Dr Mary Adekugbe - Nigerian Community Association
- Howard Smith - Branches Fellowship Church
- Phil Treaton - Groundwork Trust
- Zulf Ahmed - Kashmir Youth Project
- Tracie Powers - member of the community
- Ashley Dearnley - member of the community
- James Bannon - School Governor
- Scott Darraugh - member of the community
- Anna Kirk - Education Endowment Foundation and Trustee of Watergrove Trust
- Aqub Nazir - Aspire 2 Inspire
- Khaldha Manzoor - Rochdale Women's Welfare Association