Rochdale Borough Council are delighted that £20 million has been allocated to Hurstead, Smallbridge and Belfield via the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Governments Pride in Place programme.
A new Neighbourhood Board, will be responsible for co-producing a Pride in Place Plan for the area, which constitutes a 10-year vision and 4-year investment plan, and delivering in the interests of local people to improve the physical and social infrastructure of their community.
You can learn more about the Pride in Place Programme HERE
Neighbourhood Board Member Recruitment
In conjunction with the Board Chair and Paul Waugh M.P., the Council, as accountable body for the fund, is seeking to recruit members to the Neighbourhood Board.
If you are a passionate individual, looking to make a difference to where you live, work, or visit, then please read on to find out more about this exciting opportunity.
Closing date for applications: 22 March 2026
Responsibility of Board
Once established, the Board will oversee the delivery of a Pride in Place Plan and will be responsible for:
- Identifying the issues and priorities to focus on in the Plan and how the community will be engaged
- Working to develop the Plan, and setting out how partner agencies will use their knowledge, powers, assets and new funding to deliver for the community
- Identifying opportunities to utilise specific powers (such as neighbourhood planning) to drive forward the Plan
- Identifying opportunities to bring in additional philanthropic or private investment to support the Plan
- Overseeing the delivery of projects
Becoming a Board Member
The role of the Neighbourhood Board is to ensure the Pride in Place Plan is developed and delivered. It will meet on a bi-monthly basis, and members will bring together a broad range of specialisms.
All the partners on the Board will be passionate and committed in supporting the Council to improve Hurstead, Smallbridge and Belfield.
To fully represent the town and our residents, it is essential that our Board Membership has a wide range of skills and is diverse to truly represent the people of Hurstead, Smallbridge and Belfield.
We are looking for people from a range of backgrounds and with a wealth of complementary experience who can play an active role in the delivery of the Pride in Place Plan, making key decisions that ensure a successful future for Hurstead, Smallbridge and Belfield.
Whilst no previous board experience is required, we expect that candidates will have a range of skills and experience from the general attributes listed below together with a passion for, and commitment to, the area.
Skills and Experience
To strengthen the Board’s skill and capacity and to support the overall successful delivery of the Long-Term Plan, we are seeking to appoint individuals who may have skills and expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Youth engagement
- Consultation and Engagement
- Education and Training
- Community Development
- Public health
- Strong local community links
To apply
If you are interested in what we are offering, and have the skills we are looking for we want to hear from you.
To apply, please send a cover letter to External.Funding@Rochdale.gov.uk expressing why you’re interested in the role and what skills, knowledge and experience you can contribute.
If you would like to discuss the post further please contact Councillor Tom Besford: Tom.besford@parliament.uk