Maidstone Borough Council has named the 13 people who will help decide how up to £20 million of government Pride in Place money is spent in Park Wood, Senacre, Shepway and Mangravet over the next ten years.
The Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board brings together residents, a headteacher, a housing association, a housebuilder, a church, a charity and business, alongside the area’s MP and county and borough councillors. It will be chaired by Dave Creasey, whose appointment as independent chair was announced in June.
Pride in Place is a UK Government programme. The council says the funding is intended to improve opportunities, wellbeing, community spaces and neighbourhood pride, with residents rather than councils or government agencies taking a leading role in setting priorities.
Who is on the board
- Dave Creasey, independent chair
- Chloe Hubbard, resident representative
- Emma Tanner, The Princess Project
- Gary Cook, New Line Learning Academy
- Genette Pinwill, Golding Homes
- Leon Mileham, Connect Church and resident representative
- Matt Arnold, Skillcrown Homes
- Kandeeban Thanabalan, business and community representative
- Sherry Johnson, resident representative
- Stacy Turner, resident representative
- Helen Whately MP
- Councillor Linden Kemkaran, Kent County Council
- Councillor Maureen Cleator, Maidstone Borough Council
The council says most members were appointed through an open recruitment process. The MP and the two councillors sit on the board as statutory members because of their elected roles and were not recruited.
What they said
Mr Creasey said: “What excites me most about Pride in Place is that this programme is different. Too often, things happen to communities rather than being shaped by the people who live there.”
He added: “I want to see people not just survive, but thrive. I want residents to feel proud of where they live and confident that they can influence the future of their community.”
Councillor David Naghi, Maidstone Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion and Safety, called the money “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for these communities” and said the board would help make sure the funding “is shaped by local priorities”.
What happens next
The council says the board will work with residents over the coming months to identify priorities and draw up plans for investment, with community engagement events to gather views and ideas for future projects.
Key information
- Funding: up to £20 million from the UK Government over ten years
- Areas: Park Wood, Senacre, Shepway and Mangravet, Maidstone
- Chair: Dave Creasey
- More information: Maidstone Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Board page
Sources
- Maidstone Borough Council press release SS/081/26, “Meet the Neighbourhood Board helping shape £20 million investment in Maidstone communities”, 30 September 2026
- Maidstone Borough Council: Pride in Place