Council names chairs for £40m Pride in Place fund
Ipswich Borough Council has appointed Lee Walker and Jess March as chairs of the new Pride in Place Neighbourhood Boards for Stoke Park and Whitehouse, following a recruitment process.
Why it matters: Stoke Park and Whitehouse have received up to £20m through the government's Pride in Place programme. The two neighbourhood boards are now responsible for deciding how the money is spent locally over the next ten years.
The details: The boards will bring together residents, community organisations, businesses and partners to ensure the investment delivers lasting benefits. The programme is designed to let communities develop their own shared vision for the funding.
Lee Walker takes the chair in Stoke Park, while Jess March leads the board in Whitehouse. Each will now appoint the remaining board members, who will work with local stakeholders to identify priorities and support projects.
Walker is chief executive of Ipswich Central, the town's business improvement district, and grew up in the local area. He has previously led regeneration projects in the town centre and recently secured backing from businesses to continue Ipswich Central's work for a further five years.
Jess March is a local resident and new parent who has been appointed to lead the Whitehouse board.
What they're saying: Walker said: "Stoke Park isn't just the place where I live – it is home. Having grown up here and built my career helping places secure investment and deliver regeneration, I understand both the opportunities and the importance of ensuring local people are at the centre of decision making."
March said: "I'm so honoured to be appointed Chair of the Whitehouse Neighbourhood Board. It's a community with some great green spaces, local amenities and people who care deeply about the area. As a local resident and new parent, I hope we can create a neighbourhood where people feel safe, connected and proud of where they live."
Cllr Neil MacDonald, leader of Ipswich Borough Council, praised both appointments on how they "demonstrated a genuine commitment" to their communities, alongside "a clear vision for how local people can be at the heart of shaping the future of their neighbourhood."
Cllr George Lankester, portfolio holder for communities, said the scheme was "designed to put power into the hands of local residents." He said both chairs brought valuable experience and "a passion for improving" the areas where they live.
Jack Abbott, MP for Ipswich, said Walker had "an outstanding track record of bringing people together, securing investment and delivering projects that make a real difference." Patrick Spencer, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, called Whitehouse "a thriving and growing community with huge potential" and said he looked forward to working with March and the board.
For context: Pride in Place is part of a national £5 billion scheme covering nearly 250 areas across the UK, with each selected neighbourhood receiving up to £20m over 10 years.
The appointment of the chairs follows a recruitment drive earlier this year, when the council and Jack Abbott MP invited residents to apply for chair and board member roles, with no formal qualifications required. The first board meetings are due to begin on 13 August.
The bottom line: With their chairs now in place, the two Pride in Place boards can begin recruiting the remaining members who will help decide how £40 million of government investment is spent across Stoke Park and Whitehouse over the next decade.
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