About Pride in Place
In September 2025, Government announced the full list of 169 initial Phase 2 areas of the 'Pride in Place' Programme, following the expansion of the initial 75 Phase 1 areas. The programme was later expanded with 40 additional Phase 2 neighbourhoods announced in February 2026.
Town Centre East and Fingerpost (see illustrated area to the left) was successful in securing up to £20m 'endowment style' funding for investment in local priorities over a 10-year period, as part of the Phase 2 Pride in Place programme.
The Programme brings together community representatives, businesses, and strategic partners to prioritise funding into areas of local need to build a brighter future for all. Led by a 'Neighbourhood Board', in partnership with St Helens Borough Council, the Town Centre East & Fingerpost Neighbourhood Board are tasked with developing a 10-Year Pride in Place Plan and a 4-Year Investment Plan to address deprivation and regeneration of the area.
To know more about the prospectus please read the 'current position' below.
What has been happening?
In July 2026, Mike Denning was appointed as the Chair for the Town Centre East & Fingerpost Neighbourhood Board following the Council (as the accountable body) and local MP appointing to this role. Guidance outlined that Neighbourhood Boards must be led by an independent Chair, who should act as a champion for the place and local people, organising engagement that reaches out into the community, to ensure decision-making is community-led.
Mike, who was born and raised in St Helens, is Founder and Director of Stapleton Derby Group, a company specialising in property sales, lettings and development and employs over 15 staff across three offices in St Helens Borough, including one within the Town Centre East and Fingerpost boundary. His career has spanned over 30 years across legal services, commercial enterprise and property development. He brings extensive experience operating as Chair, Trustee, and Committee Lead, overseeing regulated organisations, delivering large-scale funded programmes, and representing organisations with government bodies, national governing bodies, funders, commercial partners, and community stakeholders.
Over the course of summer 2026, expansion of the Neighbourhood Board will be prioritised for the stakeholder and community applications.
Current position
The Neighbourhood Board must oversee the development of a 10-year Pride in Place Plan and 4-Year Investment Plan, which must be agreed by Council and subsequently submitted the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The Pride in Place Plan must be co-produced with residents and shaped through meaningful community engagement, ensuring that local voices, priorities, and aspirations are central to the development of the programme. To support this activity, revenue funding has been released to the Neighbourhood Board to build capacity in the programme and conduct public consultation.
