The Wales Office has confirmed nine Welsh neighbourhoods will each be eligible for up to £20 million under the UK Government’s Pride in Place Programme. The press notice was published on 4 February 2026 and refers to an announcement on 5 February, setting a ten‑year funding horizon to restore pride and widen opportunity in targeted communities. (gov.uk)
The designated areas are Sirhowy Valley in Blaenau Gwent; Bargoed, Aberbargoed and New Tredegar in Caerphilly; Ely and Caerau in Cardiff; Llanelli in Carmarthenshire; Llandudno in Conwy; the Upper Afan Valley in Neath Port Talbot; Newport city centre; Rhondda Fach in Rhondda Cynon Taf; and High Street and Dyfatty in Swansea. (gov.uk)
Every local authority in Wales will also receive a share of £34.5 million in capital for public realm improvements, such as repairing bus shelters, reopening park toilets, providing more bins to deter littering and upgrading leisure centres. The announcement will be marked by a ministerial visit to Tredegar. (gov.uk)
Decision‑making will sit with new Neighbourhood Boards comprising local representatives. MHCLG’s Pride in Place prospectus sets out that Boards are locally chaired, supported by the relevant local authority and constituency MP, and tasked with co‑producing a ten‑year plan for investment that reflects resident priorities. (gov.uk)
Funding will move from preparation to delivery from April 2026. MHCLG’s funding profile confirms capacity support provided across 2023–25, plus an additional £200,000 in 2025–26, ahead of the first delivery payments in the 2026–27 financial year. This is intended to build governance, engagement and delivery capability before projects start. (gov.uk)
Under the programme’s governance and boundary guidance, the accountable local authority and its Neighbourhood Board must confirm membership and the spending boundary to MHCLG and put monitoring and evaluation in place. The prospectus indicates all Boards should be in place by 17 July 2026 at the latest. (gov.uk)
Today’s list follows the 25 September 2025 decision to extend Pride in Place to nine additional Welsh local authorities-Blaenau Gwent, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly, Carmarthenshire, Conwy, Cardiff and Swansea-alongside five areas announced in March 2025. The latest step confirms the specific neighbourhoods within those authorities. (gov.uk)
Eligible activity cited by government includes high street and town centre renewal, preservation of local heritage, housing, job creation, productivity and skills initiatives, health and wellbeing programmes, improved transport links, education and opportunity, and measures to enhance safety and security. Boards will prioritise spend within national frameworks and local assurance processes. (gov.uk)
For Welsh councils and partners, the immediate operational tasks are to finalise Board membership and secretariat, agree a boundary that reflects lived community geographies, assemble a deliverable pipeline aligned with local and Welsh Government plans, and prepare for the release of delivery funding from April 2026 subject to MHCLG approvals. (gov.uk)
The policy significance is twofold: multi‑year regeneration funding is coupled with resident‑led governance. That requires integration with existing Welsh Government regeneration programmes and a stronger focus on evidenced outcomes-economic and social-over a decade of delivery. The Wales Office frames this as partnership working with the Welsh Government and local authorities. (gov.uk)