The Government has today announced that 25 ‘trailblazer neighbourhoods’ will receive up to £20 million over the next decade. 

This is hot off the heels of the updated prospectus and tools for Neighbourhood Boards and Accountable Bodies to deliver the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme released on Monday,  ​​which is a £1.5 billion programme to provide funding and support totalling up to £20 million to 75 locations over the next decade, learning from the New Deal for Communities programme and focussing on creating thriving places, stronger communities, and empowering communities in taking back control. 

Whilst the 20 trailblazer neighbourhoods across England have been announced, there is more work to be done to identify communities across Glasgow, Fife, Swansea, Cardiff and Belfast. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has committed to working with partners ‘to help crowd in investment and provide a direct link to Whitehall’. 

With further details expected 'shortly' and having cut my teeth on the NDC programme, myself and AC colleagues are really looking forward with optimism for those communities identified and how we can share our expertise and help to implement lessons learnt from previous programmes to deliver sustainable benefits to improve lives, communities and society.