Two areas of Barking and Dagenham were chosen by the government to benefit from the ‘Pride in Place’ programme earlier this year
Members of Barking and Dagenham’s two new ‘Pride in Place’ neighbourhood boards have met for the first time following their selection.
The boards, made up of local residents, community leaders, councillors and MPs, will decide how tens of millions of pounds will be spent in two areas of the borough.
After first being announced in March, the areas of Central Park and Frizlands Lane in Dagenham, and Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside in Barking, will each receive £20m in government funding over the next ten years.
The Labour government’s Pride in Place programme is designed to give communities significant opportunities to “focus on local priorities and make lasting, positive changes”.
Decisions about how the money is spent will now be made by neighbourhood boards, each led by a designated chair, with board membership comprising nominated local representatives.
Applications for board membership and the positions of board chair opened in May and closed the following month.
The chair of the Central Park and Frizlands Lane Neighbourhood Board has been named as Amy Sivetoglu. She was born and raised in Dagenham and has been working in the Central Park and Frizlands Lane area since 2011.
Amy is described as a “proud mum” who is “looking to help others and make a positive difference for her community”.
The Central Park and Frizlands Lane Neighbourhood Board had an introductory meeting on Wednesday, 19th August at Heath Community Centre.
Dagenham and Rainham MP Margaret Mullane said: “The board is in place and following the initial meeting I am really excited about the potential. This is real people from the community with real power to change the future of the area.
“The ideas are already flowing, and I have every confidence that the chair, Amy, will do a fantastic job alongside the board members.
“This is about making Heath ward, the Central Park and Frizlands area, somewhere people feel proud to live and work.
“Watch this space!”
Board chair Amy added: “It’s a huge amount of money and an amazing opportunity and I think we can shape the area into somewhere people are proud to live.”
The chair of the Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside Neighbourhood Board has been named as Pascal Ezeabasili. He was raised and lives in the Barking area, now working in the food industry.
The Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside Neighbourhood Board had an introductory meeting on Thursday, 20th August at Barking Football Club.
Barking and Dagenham Council leader Dominic Twomey, who as an Eastbury ward councillor is also a member of the Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside Neighbourhood Board, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity not just for the two funding areas but for the borough as a whole.
“I’m excited to work with other board members, hear their ideas and put them in action so that we can bring real, lasting change to these areas.
“What’s great about both boards is that they have people from all walks of life bringing their experience and views to the table, all working together to improve the areas they love.
“This is a really exciting new chapter for the borough, and I cannot wait to see where it leads – in Barking and Dagenham, it starts here.”
