Spending review gives £20m to neighbourhood

A "deserving" area of Stoke-on-Trent will receive £20m of government funding for regeneration projects.

Bentilee and Ubberley was announced as one of 25 "trailblazer neighbourhoods" as part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's spending review.

The government said the funding would would "support improvements people can see on their doorstep, champion local leadership, foster community engagement and strengthen social cohesion".

"That is a part of the world that deserves more from the local authority and from government so I'm really pleased that money has been allocated," Labour MP Gareth Snell said.

Councillor Jane Ashworth, Labour leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said it was a "truly transformational" sum of money which would make a real difference to people's lives.

"It is also recognition of the work we have already been doing to empower communities to have more control over the places where they live," she added.

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The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it would work with community leaders in the neighbourhood to develop potential schemes.

Snell said further details would come out in the next few days and the projects would be led by the neighbourhood itself.

"This has to be about what the neighbourhoods need and what they want rather than being from the top down," he added.

"I think it's a great opportunity for that whole community to take a grip of their future."

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