The ‘Pride in Place’ funding for Enfield Wash and Lower Edmonton will be spent using a “community-first approach”, reports James Cracknell

Enfield Wash with (left) Enfield North MP Feryal Clark and (right) council leader Ergin Erbil

Residents living in two parts of eastern Enfield are set to benefit from a major new cash injection from the Labour government.

Enfield Wash, plus the northern part of Enfield Highway, will receive £20m, while Lower Edmonton will also get the same amount. For each area the funding will be spread over a decade-long period, meaning there will be £2m available for these communities every year between now and 2036.

It had been announced last year that Enfield borough would benefit from £1.5m of ‘Pride in Place’ government funding to spend on improving public spaces, but this figure has been eclipsed by the latest announcement, which forms part of the government’s ‘Plan for Neighbourhoods’ – itself part of the wider Pride in Place Impact Fund.

Enfield Wash and Lower Edmonton are among 40 areas around the country to be granted money as part of this latest scheme, with Enfield being one of three London boroughs to have two different areas chosen for the cash injection.

This new funding will be delivered through a “community-led approach” with decisions on how the funding is allocated shaped by local residents and community groups, instead of being allocated centrally.

Enfield North MP Feryal Clark and Enfield Council leader Ergin Erbil will now work to establish two neighbourhood boards, acting as “conveners, mediators and collaborators” to ensure the process remains open, transparent and on track.

Spending could, for example, be used to revitalise high streets and tackle empty shops, create new spaces and opportunities for young people, protect and restore valued local assets such as pubs, libraries and community spaces, or improve neighbourhood safety and local environments.

It is designed to support areas “facing the greatest challenges around social connection, community resilience and deprivation”.

The neighbourhood boards will be responsible for overseeing how the funding is spent and for developing a Pride in Place plan, with “a clear duty to engage meaningfully with the community so that local people are at the heart of decision-making”.

Clark said: “Since being elected, I’ve been fighting every single day in parliament to bring real investment back into our community and that work continues to deliver.

“This £20million investment is a real opportunity to make a lasting difference: creating new opportunities for our young people, investing in safer streets, and restoring pride in our neighbourhoods. And I’m delighted the programme puts local people at the heart of decision-making, ensuring funding is shaped by residents rather than imposed by politicians behind closed doors in Westminster.

“Together, we’ll decide how this investment is used and what kind of future we want to build for Enfield North.”

Cllr Erbil added: “We’re investing in our neighbourhoods. This Labour government continues to support Enfield in such a great way. With more than £200m in extra funding for Enfield Council and now we have got an extra £40m specifically for Enfield Wash and Lower Edmonton.

“The best part of this funding is that it will be guided by our local community. We’ve already used the £1.5m Enfield received as part of the first round of Pride in Place funding to clean up our high streets across the borough. Now with £40m we can do even more.”

For more information on Pride in Place:
Visit gov.uk/government/publications/pride-in-place-programme

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