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Working in Partnership with Medway Communities

Medway Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board Chair for Luton in Chatham

Medway Council secured £60 million of funding from the UK Government’s Pride in Place programme in March 2026, which will be used to support Twydall in Gillingham, Rede Common in Strood, and Luton in Chatham.

Each area will get £20 million, which will be invested over the next 10 years. Local communities will decide how the funding is spent in their area. Projects may include investment in youth provision, leisure and green spaces, arts, culture & heritage or projects which support employment and economic growth.

Pride in Place is a long-term government investment programme designed to tackle entrenched disadvantage in communities across England. It places decision-making power directly in the hands of local people, with funding directed toward improving neighbourhoods, public spaces, community assets and local high streets. You can read more about the programme in the Pride in Place Prospectus.

Neighbourhood Boards

Pride in Place funding in each area will be managed through a ‘Neighbourhood Board’, a partnership between local community groups, businesses, residents, MPs and the council.

Each of the 3 boards will decide how funds should be used to make the biggest difference to local people.

The Neighbourhood Boards will:

• be led by an independent Chair and representatives who have a strong connection to the local area
• lead local engagement and consultation work
• identify priority projects based on community feedback
• produce a ‘Pride in Place Plan’ setting out how the funding will be spent
• oversee and report on progress of agreed projects

Each board will create a plan for improvement projects over the next 10 years. Decisions will be made by the board in consultation with the community and with support from the council, MP and central government.

The programme puts local people at the heart of decisions about their neighbourhoods and will implement changes that matter most to them.

Recruitment of Board Chairs

We’re now recruiting for 3 Neighbourhood Board Chairs (one for each area).

This is a high-profile role with the opportunity to make a real difference in your community.

We need someone to help lead the programme for their area who knows and cares about their local community and can help bring residents, businesses and Chairs together.

Once appointed, you will help to recruit board members (around 8 to 10 individuals) to make up the Neighbourhood Board that you will chair.

In some instances, a successful applicant may be eligible for a small stipend in recognition of the critical importance of their role.

An important note on independence

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) expects the Board Chair to be genuinely independent, someone who is not employed by, or in a position of conflict with, the council or any delivery partner. This is central to the programme’s principle of community-led decision making, and applicants should satisfy themselves that they can meet this requirement before applying.

To apply to be a Board Chair, you must:

• live or work in the local area
• be aged over 18 years old
• be available to attend board meetings

Each area will be represented by their local MP who will serve as an active member of their local Neighbourhood Board. They will support the council in recruiting each Board Chair and help to recruit board members.

Neighbourhood Board Objectives

Once Chairs have been appointed to the Neighbourhood Boards, we’ll start recruiting members.

These members will:

• live or work in the local area
• reflect the diversity of people living in the area (based on age, gender, ethnicity, faith, disability and income levels)
• be supported by one Ward Councillor and their local constituency MP who will also sit on the board

The Neighbourhood Boards will:

1. Build stronger communities — strengthening social cohesion, belonging and pride in neighbourhoods
2. Create thriving places — helping achieve investment in local high streets, shared spaces and community assets to create vibrant, attractive neighbourhoods with environmental improvements
3. Empower local people — decision-making is devolved to boards with a strong resident presence, shifting power to communities

Other Pride in Place Funding

Separate to the award of £60 million funding, Medway also received £1.5 million in 2025 through the Pride in Place Impact Fund, which is already being used to fund the Shopfront Grant Scheme across Medway and a number of other initiatives including improvements to Gillingham and Chatham town centres.

Applicant Information Session and How to Apply

We will be holding an information session for anyone interested in applying to become a Neighbourhood Board Chair. This is a great opportunity to find out more about the role, ask questions and meet the team. For session dates and more information on how to register to attend the session please contact Tristan Osborne, MP tristan.osborne.mp@parliament.uk

To apply to become a Neighbourhood Board Chair please email your CV to recruitment@medway.gov.uk

Closing date 15 July 2026.

Interview date will be on 17 July 2026.