Understand
What could £20m Pride in Place cash do for Hartcliffe and Bridgwater?
Overview
Residents and local leaders in Bridgwater and Hartcliffe are figuring out how to spend £20m each awarded from the government's Pride in Place programme. While locals welcome the funding to improve youth services, green spaces, and community projects, many question whether the investment can deliver lasting change once the money runs out.
Key points
- Bridgwater and Hartcliffe have each been awarded £20m through the government's Pride in Place programme.
- Sam Smith, a volunteer football coach leading the ten-year programme in south Bridgwater, is focusing on youth provision, safety, and cleaner streets.
- Some Bridgwater residents, such as Sharon Harry and Sue Devenish, worry that temporary funding could create projects that stop once the money runs out.
- Paul Smith, who leads the regeneration in Hartcliffe—the 16th most-deprived place in the country—wants to focus on local skills training and better-paid careers.
- Local leaders emphasise that the £20m should not be used to replace core funding that other organisations and government departments should already be providing.