Working together to deliver Pride in Place: effective collaboration between councils and Neighbourhood Boards

The Pride in Place programme represents a fundamental shift in how regeneration is designed and delivered. At its core is a partnership between Neighbourhood Boards as the central decision-making bodies, councils as the accountable bodies, and the wider local communities, with decision-making rooted in the lived experience of residents. In this article, Principal Consultant, Yvonne Reinhardt explores effective collaboration.

To realise the ambition of Pride in Place, trust and effective collaboration between councils and Neighbourhood Boards are essential. From developing the Board’s vision and drafting Pride in Place Plans through to delivery, successful areas will be those that build trust, embed meaningful and deep community engagement as a permanent feature, and empower Board members to embrace ownership of decisions and outcomes. 

Building trust from the outset 

Neighbourhood Boards are designed to be community-led, with councils playing an enabling and accountable role. This dynamic requires careful handling from the very beginning. Where councils provide programme management or bring in technical support to do so, transparency and close working with the Board Chair and members are critical. Ultimately, programme management support or a secretariat function needs to act in the interest of the Board whilst enabling the council to fulfil its role as the accountable body.  Establishing the Board’s vision early on helps align expectations and roles. This vision should not be led by institutional priorities, but co-developed with board members and rooted in community insights. Trust is built not through formal governance alone, but through consistent behaviours, open communication, and a willingness to cede control. 

Taking joint ownership of community engagement 

The Pride in Place Prospectus is explicit that Pride in Place plans must reflect a “genuine reflection of what local residents want,” supported by evidence of deep and sustained engagement. This places community engagement and lived experience at the heart of plan development. Councils often take the lead in commissioning or delivering engagement activity, which is important to create momentum early on. Yet, the most effective approaches treat Board members as active partners, who will play an increasingly more prominent role in driving engagement activities over the course of the programme, rather than passive recipients of findings. Board members can act as trusted intermediaries and multipliers, extending reach into different parts of the community and encouraging participation from groups that may otherwise be underrepresented. Importantly, engagement must go beyond one-off consultation. Continuous dialogue, listening campaigns and participatory approaches ensure that emerging priorities are captured and reflected, not just in upfront investment decisions but throughout the duration of the programme. 

Investing in community and board capacity 

A central ambition of the programme is to build stronger, thriving communities that can lead change over the long term. Capacity-building is therefore not an optional add-on, but a core component of success. This applies both to the wider voluntary and community sector and to Neighbourhood Board members themselves. Board members will bring diverse skills and experiences, meaning there is rarely a one-size-fits-all approach to capacity building. However, all members should have access to support that helps them understand the nuances of the programme, their role, and how to contribute effectively to decision-making. Targeted investment in skills, knowledge and confidence will further help Boards transition to community-led delivery models over time, as envisaged by the programme. The Council can play a key role in this process by keeping capacity building on the agenda. 

Enabling informed decision-making through focused working 

As areas move from plan development into delivery, the nature of collaboration evolves. The focus shifts from vision setting to more detailed design and implementation of interventions. The task of shaping clear and detailed specifications for grant schemes and procurement exercises does not lend itself to being taken forward in a Board setting. A more effective approach is the use of subgroups or intervention sponsors, where the Board nominates selected members to work more closely with council officers, programme managers or delivery partners to shape specific proposals. This allows for deeper exploration of options and more informed recommendations to the full Board. However, transparency remains essential. The wider Board must retain oversight, understand why changes are being made, and final decisions should continue to be made collectively to maintain legitimacy and accountability. Clear roles, well-defined processes and regular reporting back to the Board help strike the right balance between depth and inclusivity. 

Balancing long-term ambition with flexibility 

The programme combines long-term funding certainty with a deliberate emphasis on flexibility. Neighbourhood Boards are encouraged to develop ambitious plans for ten years, but also have the freedom to adapt priorities as community needs evolve. This creates both opportunity and challenge. Councils and Boards must work together to balance strategic, long-term investments with responsiveness to changing circumstances. This might include revisiting priorities, adjusting timelines, or potentially carrying funding forward where this will achieve better outcomes. A shared understanding of these flexibilities and the confidence to use them is critical. Overly rigid approaches risk undermining the community-led ethos of the programme, while excessive change without a clear rationale can weaken strategic coherence. 

Closing the feedback loop and speaking with one voice 

As plans move into delivery, expectations within the community will increase. Residents who have contributed to engagement processes will want to understand how their input has shaped decisions and what happens next. Board members are likely to be approached directly by residents, making them a key interface between the programme and the community. Thus, a proactive communications approach is essential and should include regular updates, accessible information about progress, and continued opportunities for involvement. Board members should feel empowered to engage with the community, but need to be able to refer back to a clear comms protocol and be able to rely on support from the council’s communications team. 

Building the foundation for long-term collaboration 

To ensure Neighbourhood Boards and councils can build a strong relationship, both between themselves and with the wider local community, it is essential to establish strong foundations from day one by establishing mutual trust and a commitment to meaningful engagement. Councils play an important role in this process by providing structure, resources and implementation expertise; Neighbourhood Boards bring local knowledge, legitimacy and connection to the community. Where these strengths are combined effectively, Pride in Place plans can become more than strategic documents. They can act as the foundation for long-term, community-led change that reflects the priorities, aspirations and potential of the places they serve. 

If these points resonate with you, you would like to share your own experience, or you are looking for practical advice on how to get your Pride and Place programme up and running, please get in touch with yvonne.reinhardt@mutualventures.co.uk and mark@mutualventures.co.uk