Purpose

Pride in Place is a newly announced initiative
from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, set
up to empower local communities, particularly in deprived areas, to
take control of regeneration, high streets, public spaces and
community assets. Two places have been selected in Plymouth –
Devonport, Mount Wise and Morice Town and St Budeaux. Both places
will receive up to £20 million, comprising both capital and
revenue funding.

This decision will delegate authority for Plymouth City
Council’s representation in all Pride in Place matters,
enabling the Strategic Director of Growth to sign key documents and
endorse governance arrangements, and Regeneration plans.

Decision

Decision

1.    
Agreed that Plymouth City Council will act as the Accountable Body
for the Pride in Place Programme and all of its requirements;
 

2.    
Delegated authority to the Service Director Team Plymouth to sign
all associated contracts, funding agreements, where necessary in
consultation with relevant officers, including the s151 Officer and
the Monitoring Officer, and approve Pride in Place claims;
 

3.    
Agreed to accept and ringfence the capacity funding for Pride in
Place and provides delegation to the Service Director Team Plymouth
to use the capacity funding in line with government guidance and
eligible activities;
 

4.    
Delegated authority to the Strategic Director for Growth, in
consultation with the Leader, to undertake the necessary
recruitment processes for the selection of the Independent Chair
and members of the Neighbourhood Board, working in close
collaboration with the MP for the area;
 

5.    
Agreed that the Service Director Team Plymouth shall act as
Plymouth City Council’s representative for all matters
relating to the Pride in Place Programme;
 

6.    
Delegated authority to the Service Director Team Plymouth, to act
as the Council’s representative, completing any associated
documentation required as part of the Council’s participation
in Pride in Place, including funding MoU to draw down funding from
MHCLG.   Any  Civic,  Pride in Place
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed by the Leader;
 

7.    
Delegated authority to the Service Director Team Plymouth, working
in consultation with the MP and the Chair of the Neighbourhood
Board to:
 
a)    
Finalise the boundaries and governance arrangements for the
Plymouth Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board;

 
b)   
Ensure appropriate local oversight, community involvement and
decision-making structures are established in line with Pride in
Place requirements;
 

8.    
Delegated authority to the newly appointed Board, once constituted,
in consultation with the Service Director Team Plymouth, to develop
the Pride in Place Regeneration Plan on behalf of Plymouth City
Council, to include public consultation and to submit to Government
in line with the Pride in Place guidance;
 

9.    
Delegated authority to the Service Director Team Plymouth, in
consultation relevant officers, including the S151 Officer and the
Monitoring Officer, to review and formally accept the Pride in
Place full funding allocation and any associated grant
conditions;
 

10. 
Delegated authority to the Service Director Team Plymouth to
distribute the funding in line with the programme requirements.
 
Reason
The Pride in Place programme represents an
investment of £19.6m in St Budeaux and £19.6m in
Devonport, Morice Town and Mount Wise over the next ten years,
supporting neighbourhood-led regeneration and delivery of local
priorities. To ensure timely and compliant mobilisation of the
Pride in Place Programme. Delegating authority to the Service
Director Team Plymouth enables Plymouth City Council to meet the
demanding programme timetable set by Government, including tight
deadlines linked to Board establishment, boundary confirmation and
Regeneration Plan development. Government Guidance states that the
Local Authority must act as the Accountable Body for the Pride in
Place Funding at the start of the programme, with responsibility
for ensuring that public funds are distributed fairly and
effectively. Therefore, Plymouth City Council must ensure there are
appropriate governance structures and controls in place to fulfil
this role.
 
Alternative options
considered and rejected
 

1.    
Do nothing: This option would mean the Council does not proceed
with the Pride in Place programme. As a result, Devonport, Morice
Town and Mount Wise and St. Budeaux would lose access to
approximately £40 million of government investment,
significantly undermining community empowerment and regeneration
opportunities. This option was rejected because it would materially
disadvantage the neighbourhoods.
 

2.    
Do not delegate authority: key operational and financial decisions
would require repeated Executive or Cabinet approvals. Given the
scale and pace required for Pride in Place delivery this approach
is unworkable in practice. It would create unnecessary bottlenecks,
slow down implementation, risk missing government deadlines, and
compromise the Council’s role as Accountable Body. This
option was therefore rejected.
 

3.    
Passporting funding to an external organisation: This option would
involve transferring responsibility for managing and delivering the
programme to another organisation. It was rejected because the
Pride in Place model requires the Council to fulfil Accountable
Body duties, including due diligence, monitoring, assurance and
financial oversight. These responsibilities cannot be delegated to
an external body under the Pride in Place requirements. For these
reasons, the preferred options are the recommendations that this
report in seeking in the above section.