Following the Government’s recent Pride in Place funding announcement, community members in two Barking and Dagenham areas can now apply to get their voices heard by joining Neighbourhood Boards which will administer the funding.
Each Pride in Place area will have an independent Chair and 6 to 10 Board members who will help shape the future of their neighbourhood.
Members of the community in the Mayesbrook and Rippleside area, and the Central Park and Frizlands Lane area can now apply to join the Neighbourhood Boards for their areas. Both areas will receive £20million each to be spent over 10 years.
Pride in Place funding aims to:
- Build stronger communities and help people feel more proud of their area,
- Create thriving places and support vibrant neighbourhoods with good local amenities, high streets and physical infrastructure
- Let residents take back control by giving communities a real say in shaping their area's future.
Applications for Board Chairs and Members are now open to people who preferably:
- Live in one of the areas, or
- Work in one of the areas.
The council is also seeking residents’ input into changing the boundaries of the two areas:
Central Park and Frizlands Lane
The council is suggesting extending the boundary to include all the streets and buildings around Fiddlers’ Junction given it’s an important local meeting place and part of everyday community life.
Mayesbrook and Rippleside
Three additions are being suggested:
- Rest of Mayesbrook Park – so the entire park is included within the Pride in Place area.
- Barking Hospital site and the Hedgecocks Centre – these are important local buildings and focal points for the community.
- Eastbury Manor House – a well‑known historic site that already helps create a sense of local pride and identity.
People wishing to put themselves forward as Chairs or Board members should prepare a CV and statement (up to 1,000 words) setting out their involvement with the relevant area and why they would make a good Chair or Board member.
Cllr Dominic Twomey, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, 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.
“We want people from all walks of life applying for these roles, so we get a range of opinions – these are the places you live, work and play in. We want you to guide us on how to make them better.
“This is what makes this project so exciting, putting power into the hands of our residents and letting their views lead the way – I can’t wait for these boards to get started and the ideas coming in. It starts here.”
Nesil Caliskan, MP for Barking, 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.
“I am forming a Pride in Place board made up of local residents and community leaders to draw up plans for the funding to give to government. We are calling for all interested to apply to be either a board member or the Chair. Applications close on the 15 June 2026, and work will commence right away. I look forward to joining you to kickstart projects in Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside."
Margaret Mullane, MP for Dagenham and Rainham, said: “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.
“The funding could support a wide range of local priorities from neighbourhood events to revitalising our high streets and, most importantly, it will be up to people here in our community to help shape how it’s used.
“In the coming weeks I will be pulling together a Pride in Place board made up of local people and organisations, and we are looking for a dedicated resident to be the Chair – facilitating tangible change in our community. Get involved and let’s shape the future together.”