Purpose

Fenland District Council has been granted £1.5 million from
the Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund to support the
enhancement of community facilities. Members have expressed a
preference that this spend be allocated to open spaces facilities
and play areas across the district in line with the Fenland
Inspire! project aims.
 

Content

AGREED:
·        
To note that the deadline for committing the Pride
in Place Impact Fund that is funding open space and play area
improvements should be committed by no later than 31 March
2027
·        
To note that work to replace Westmead play area is
underway and is outside of the Pride in Place Impact Fund play area
budget
·        
That the Portfolio Holder for Finance Inspire!
– Play Equipment immediately contacts all FDC members to
request ideas of specific locations where the funding should be
spent. There are significant constraints set by Government on how
this grant money may be spent, FDC members suggesting that money in
their area should be spent on schemes other than play areas should
carefully check that any such alternative spending falls within the
Government’s criteria. Schemes generally must also be
deliverable relatively quickly to satisfy the Government's timing
criteria for spend to be completed.
·        
That, in the interest of fairness across the
district, an indicative split of spend shall be that £250,000
shall be spent in each of the four towns, whilst £500,000
shall be spent in the parished areas
outside the boundaries of the four Fenland towns. It is appreciated
that this precise split will not be able to be achieved because of
the discreet individual cost of each selected scheme, but this
split is an initial guide to assist in creating a fair allocation
across the district.
·        
That proposals will be submitted to Cabinet in March
2026 for approval to progress.