Neighbourhood boards for £20m in Barking & Dagenham 2026

Key Points

• Barking and Dagenham to receive two £20 million allocations from the Government’s Pride in Place fund, each spread over ten years.
• Neighbourhood boards will be formed for Mayesbrook and Rippleside, and Central Park and Frizlands Lane to oversee the funding.
• Applications are open for residents, workers and business owners to become board members or independent chairs.
• Each board will have six to ten members plus an independent chair; candidates must submit a CV and a statement of up to 1,000 words.
• Council leader Dominic Twomey and MPs Nesil Caliskan and Margaret Mullane have publicly supported the initiative and urged local involvement.
• The funding aims to support long-term community improvements, including events, high‑street revitalisation and local priorities decided by residents.

Barking (East London Times) June 2, 2026 – As reported by Dominic Twomey, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, the authority is inviting local people to join newly formed neighbourhood boards that will oversee how two separate £20 million allocations from the Government’s Pride in Place fund are spent over the next decade. Twomey said this is “a fantastic opportunity for residents to get their voices heard and make sure transformative funding is spent on the things they want to see,” urging people from “all walks of life” to apply.

What areas will receive the funding and how much is allocated?

The Pride in Place awards will support two specific areas within the borough. Mayesbrook and Rippleside are one recipient area, and Central Park and Frizlands Lane are the other. Each area has been allocated £20 million to be delivered across ten years, effectively providing around £2 million a year to each neighbourhood to support long-term improvements.

How will the neighbourhood boards be structured and what powers will they hold?

Council briefings and statements indicate that each neighbourhood board will comprise six to ten local members alongside an independent chair. The boards’ primary role will be to oversee and guide how the Pride in Place funding is used within their area.

Applicants for chair or member roles must submit a CV and a statement (up to 1,000 words) outlining their involvement with the relevant area and why they would be suitable for the role. The council intends for the boards to be community-led decision-making bodies, shaping investment in local priorities.

What did elected representatives say about the programme and local engagement?

Nesil Caliskan, MP for Barking, welcomed the funding, framing it as an opportunity for local people to decide how the money is spent. In remarks reported by local outlets, Ms Caliskan said:

“I’m so pleased that Barking has been given £20 million over 10 years from the Labour government’s Pride in Place fund to drive change and improvement in our local area. The government has selected Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside as the beneficiaries of the funding and we need local people to get involved to decide how the money should be spent.”

Margaret Mullane, MP for Dagenham and Rainham, separately praised the award for Heath Ward (which covers Central Park and Frizlands Lane areas) and noted the long-term nature of the grant. As reported by Mullane,

“I am overjoyed to have secured £20 million of long-term funding for the Heath Ward area through Labour’s Pride in Place programme – £2 million every year for the next decade.”

She added that the money “could support a wide range of local priorities from neighbourhood events to revitalising our high streets” but stressed that residents will determine the final priorities.

Who is eligible to be a board member or chair and what are the application requirements?

Applications are open to local residents, people who work in the area, and business owners. Prospective chairs and members must prepare a curriculum vitae and a statement of up to 1,000 words describing their connection to the area and why they should be appointed. The council has indicated it wants a range of opinions and backgrounds represented on the boards to reflect the diversity of the communities that live, work and play in the nominated neighbourhoods.

How does this initiative fit into the Government’s wider Pride in Place programme?

The Pride in Place fund is a national government programme designed to support long-term, place-based improvements within communities. Awards are distributed to local areas judged to have strong potential for transformation when given a decade of sustained investment combined with community-led decision-making. Barking and Dagenham’s two £20 million awards align with that approach by directing sizeable, long-term funding to neighbourhood-level governance structures.

What kinds of projects could the funding support?

Council and MP statements have cited potential uses such as neighbourhood events, support for local businesses, and high‑street revitalisation. The local representatives emphasise that final decisions will be made by the neighbourhood boards in consultation with residents, meaning projects will be tailored to local priorities. The specific projects will therefore vary depending on each board’s assessment of community needs and available proposals.

What is the timeline for forming the boards and deploying the funding?

The council has opened applications for chairs and board members; successful appointments are expected to precede the initial stages of funding allocation. Given the ten-year nature of the award, funding deployment will be phased over the decade, enabling multi-year planning and delivery of long-term projects.

Exact dates for application closing, appointments, and first funding rounds were not specified in the council release; applicants are advised to check Barking and Dagenham Council communications for procedural timelines.

Which local voices and media covered the development?

Local coverage of the awards and board applications included official council statements and reporting by constituency MPs. The core quotes used in council announcements were attributed to Council Leader Dominic Twomey, MP Nesil Caliskan and MP Margaret Mullane.

Separate regional titles have carried related local developments — for example, retail and planning news such as Lidl’s new Dagenham site and lifestyle pieces have appeared in area press, underscoring wider interest in local regeneration alongside the Pride in Place announcement.

What safeguards or oversight will govern how the money is spent?

The council has proposed an independent chair for each board to provide impartial leadership. The boards are intended to be accountable to residents through open membership and documented decision-making processes.

Further governance arrangements, including reporting requirements, audit procedures or scrutiny by elected councillors, were not fully detailed in the public statements; these technical arrangements are typically set out in council governance documents and funding agreements and will be clarified as boards are formed.

How can residents find out more or apply?

Barking and Dagenham Council has opened recruitment for neighbourhood board chairs and members. Interested people should prepare a CV and a statement of up to 1,000 words outlining their connection to the area and reasons for applying.

For application deadlines, supporting materials and contact details, residents should consult the council’s official website and communications, or contact the council’s community engagement team directly.

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Background of the particular development

The Pride in Place fund is a UK government initiative that awards multi-year grants to local areas to support long-term, community-led regeneration. It is designed to encourage local decision-making by placing resources directly in the hands of neighbourhoods and establishing governance mechanisms to prioritise local needs. The fund complements other place-based programmes and town centre investments that central and local government have run in recent years.

Barking and Dagenham has sought regeneration funding previously through various national and London-wide programmes; the £20 million allocations for each of the two neighbourhoods reflect a long-term commitment to target resources at specific pockets within the borough to catalyse improvement in public spaces, local economies and community services.

Prediction: how this development can affect Barking & Dagenham residents, businesses and stakeholders

• Residents: If neighbourhood boards function as intended, residents should gain direct influence over how substantial, long-term funding is used locally. This could increase community engagement, deliver projects tailored to local needs (for example, events, improved public spaces or community facilities), and improve residents’ sense of ownership over neighbourhood change.
• Local businesses: Sustained investment over ten years can provide stability for high-street improvements, business support schemes and place marketing. Businesses may benefit from targeted regeneration measures, increased footfall and coordinated local events, though outcomes will depend on board priorities and the effectiveness of implementation.
• Community groups and voluntary sector: Groups involved in arts, community development, sport and social support could secure funding for programmes and infrastructure, allowing longer-term planning and capacity building rather than short-term, one-off grants.
• Local government and governance: Barking and Dagenham Council will need to establish transparent, robust processes for appointing board members, managing funds and reporting outcomes. Effective governance and community representation will be critical to avoid disputes and ensure equitable allocation.
• Longer-term neighbourhood outcomes: Over ten years, sustained funding has potential to produce measurable improvements in public realm, community cohesion, and local economic vitality. Conversely, if boards lack diverse representation or clear governance, there is a risk that funds do not deliver widespread benefit. The initiative’s success will therefore hinge on high-quality, representative board memberships, transparent decision-making, and effective delivery mechanisms.