Decision details

Fenland District Council has been granted £1.5 million from the Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund to support the enhancement of community facilities. Members have expressed a preference that this spend be allocated to open spaces facilities and play areas across the district in line with the Fenland Inspire! project aims.

AGREED:

·         To note that the deadline for committing the Pride in Place Impact Fund that is funding open space and play area improvements should be committed by no later than 31 March 2027

·         To note that work to replace Westmead play area is underway and is outside of the Pride in Place Impact Fund play area budget

·         That the Portfolio Holder for Finance Inspire! – Play Equipment immediately contacts all FDC members to request ideas of specific locations where the funding should be spent. There are significant constraints set by Government on how this grant money may be spent, FDC members suggesting that money in their area should be spent on schemes other than play areas should carefully check that any such alternative spending falls within the Government’s criteria. Schemes generally must also be deliverable relatively quickly to satisfy the Government's timing criteria for spend to be completed.

·         That, in the interest of fairness across the district, an indicative split of spend shall be that £250,000 shall be spent in each of the four towns, whilst £500,000 shall be spent in the parished areas outside the boundaries of the four Fenland towns. It is appreciated that this precise split will not be able to be achieved because of the discreet individual cost of each selected scheme, but this split is an initial guide to assist in creating a fair allocation across the district.

·         That proposals will be submitted to Cabinet in March 2026 for approval to progress.