Sutton Coldfield has been chosen as one of 75 towns across the country to receive up to £20 million, over the next ten years, as part of the UK Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods programme.
The programme is designed to help local neighbourhoods thrive, make communities better able to tackle the challenges they face, and ensure local people have a real say in what happens in their area.
An independent Neighbourhood Board comprised of local community leaders and business representatives from Sutton Coldfield has been put in place to manage the funds and oversee the creation of a plan to put the money to good use.
The Board has engaged Genecon – a research and economic consulting firm – to help to develop a plan for investing the funds. Over the next few weeks Genecon will be undertaking a range of consultation activities to ensure the views of local residents, businesses, community groups and other key stakeholders are considered.
The government has pre-approved interventions across a range of themes. Four theme groups have been established to explore priorities for the development of a regeneration plan and potential funding.
One of the thematic groups is Economy, Enterprise, Skills and Education.
Royal Sutton Coldfield residents are invited to help to scope out potential activities the Board may wish to consider. There are a number of opportunities to contribute.
Organisations are invited to be part of the Economy, Enterprise, Skills and Education thematic group. The role of this group will be to explore the main priorities for funding to inform the development of a high-level Regeneration Plan for the Sutton Coldfield Plan for Neighbourhoods. This will identify the main themes for investment.
The consultation process will also help to inform the development of an Investment Plan covering the first four years of the ten-year programme. This will provide more detailed information about the types of activities that may be funded during the initial years of investment.
Both of these plans need to be submitted to the UK Government by 28 November. Any agreed funding for the first year of activities will be received from April 2026.
The first workshop for the Economy, Enterprise, Skills and Education thematic group is on Wednesday, 24 September 2025 between 12.30pm and 2pm, at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, Upper Clifton Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 6DA.
The second workshop will take place wc 6 October 2025. The specific date, time and venue will be circulated once confirmed.
Interested persons can also complete a survey in order to give their views about Sutton Coldfield, communicate the changes you would like to see made, and how you think the funding should be spent.
Surveys can be filled out HERE. All completed surveys will have the opportunity to enter into a draw with the winner receiving £500 to award to a Sutton Coldfield based community group or charity of your choice.
