We Are Eastbourne: £90k kick-start for local priorities as neighbourhood board launches

 ENB has been established as part of the Government's Plan for Neighbourhoods (PfN) - a UK-wide initiative across 75 towns backed by £1.5bn of investment. Eastbourne will receive £20m over the next decade, with ENB ensuring that residents, businesses, charities and community organisations are placed at the heart of decision-making.

The Board's vision is simple but ambitious: to deliver quality of life for all Eastbourne citizens. This means supporting health and wellbeing, education, sustainable travel, clean and safe streets, thriving green spaces, a resilient local economy and a stronger sense of community. The We Are Eastbourne campaign will bring this vision to life, helping residents and organisations connect with opportunities, have their say, and take pride in shaping the town's future.

As its first action, ENB has announced a £90,000 investment, granting £10,000 to each of Eastbourne's nine Wards. The funding will support capacity building and immediate public space improvements - from pavement repairs, new bins and play area enhancements, to hosting local events, planting schemes and community centre upgrades.

To ensure residents have a direct say in how the money is used, each Ward will host a workshop in partnership with ENB and Ward Councillors. These sessions will give people the chance to shape priorities, suggest longer-term ideas and build stronger local connections. Additional funding is being provided to cover venue hire and refreshments.

Richard Garland, Chair of the Eastbourne Neighbourhood Board, said:

"Communities are encouraged to come together, to be cohesive and co-create immediate small actions that can have the biggest impact. We hope this important investment can give people a better say, and restore a collective sense of belonging and empowerment. This is about all of us taking care of the detail first and if we can do that together then we can build trust in the process when it comes to making the bigger decisions."

The new We Are Eastbourne website has been launched, offering details about the programme, upcoming workshops and ways to get involved.

Visit weareeastbourne.org.uk to learn more and sign up for updates.

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