Pride in Place funding (Courtwick and Toddington)

In September 2025, the government announced a major new investment programme, Pride in Place, to support areas where additional funding can make a meaningful difference to local people.  This included a £20million award to fund locally‑led initiatives to improve the lives of everyone who lives, works, studies, or visits Wick and Toddington over the next ten years.

What the funding can be spent on

The programme is a £20 million government investment to improve local buildings, places, spaces and support communities. The funding is meant to help the area by focusing on the things the community says it needs most.  It's important to know that the money is released over time and can only be used to fund certain types of projects.  However, the good news is that the scope of the projects is wide - there's a list of the types of projects the government has said the money can be spent on (see below).

What has happened so far

Full details of how the funding could be used, and how it should be managed locally, were published in December.  Since then, local stakeholders including Arun District Council, Littlehampton Town Council, West Sussex County Council and the MP have been working closely together behind the scenes, setting up the support for the Neighbourhood Board once the project officially starts on 1 April 2026.  The first action has been to recruit a chairperson to oversee the Neighbourhood Board.  

What happens next

Jon Jolly has been appointed as the chair of the Neighbourhood Board; the next step is to invite representatives from the Wick and Toddington community to form the Neighbourhood Board.  

The Neighbourhood Board will then work with the wider community to establish which projects they want to prioritise, and how they want to spend the funding.  And that's where YOU come in!

Residents, community groups, families, young people, and local organisations from Wick and Toddington will be invited to learn more about the programme and share their views with the Neighbourhood Board through a full programme of events and activities. This will include workshops, displays and surveys, and you'll be able to take part in person and online.  

The government has set out nine main ways this funding can be used

These include projects that will:

  1. Create more chances for work, learning and business growth such as helping people to find jobs, supporting small local businesses, offering training, and encouraging new skills in growing industries.
  2. Support stronger, happier communities such as bringing people together through events, volunteering, local projects and helping build safer, friendlier neighbourhoods.
  3. Make the area look and feel nicer such as fixing pavements, deep cleaning of areas, adding benches, planting trees, and making public areas easier for everyone to use.
  4. Create and improve parks and green spaces such as upgrading old parks, creating new ones where needed, and making it easier for people to enjoy nature.
  5. Help local shops and buildings use less energy such as giving support and grants so local businesses can save energy, cut bills, and use cleaner technology.
  6. Build or improve community buildings such as such as fixing or creating places like community centres, halls, and other spaces for everyone to use, including making them safer from things like flooding.
  7. Support local arts, culture and heritage such as putting on events, helping museums and libraries, supporting local artists, and improving important local sites.
  8. Help people who are homeless or struggling such as supporting charities and groups that provide safe places, advice and help for people facing homelessness or rough sleeping.
  9. Improve homes to make them safer, warmer and greener such as adding insulation, upgrading heating, helping with flood safety, and giving advice to help people reduce energy bills.

Make sure you are following Littlehampton Town Council and Arun District Council social media channels for the latest developments. 

If you would like to discuss an opportunity or how you'd like to see the money being spent, please contact prideinplace@arun.gov.uk.