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Senior councillors in Caerphilly have backed plans to bring £20 million of regeneration funding to communities in the north of the county borough.

If approved, the UK Government will give a “neighbourhood board” of local representatives powers to invest in Aberbargoed, Bargoed, and New Tredegar over the next ten years.

At a council cabinet meeting, on Wednesday December 17, members heard the area was chosen based on national deprivation measures that cover issues such as income, employment, health, and education.

Cllr Jamie Pritchard, who leads the local authority, said the communities had been selected as a “designated neighbourhood” for the Pride in Place funding “because they are determined as the areas most in need under the UK Government’s criteria”.

Cllr Eluned Stenner, who represents the New Tredegar ward and is the cabinet member for finance, welcomed the proposals as “another example of the north of the borough receiving the investment which it needs”.

In the next steps, the council’s proposals will be assessed by the UK Government. If the area is accepted for the funding, an independent neighbourhood board will be given the responsibility of spending the money.

According to a council report, the board could include representatives such as “residents, local businesses, grassroots campaigners, workplace representatives, faith, the local MP, and community leaders – plus those with a deep connection to their area”.

Allan Dallimore, the council’s regeneration services manager, said around 30% of the funding will be allocated to revenue spending – the running of services – while the majority would go towards capital spending, meaning physical projects.

There is now hope the Pride in Place fund will go some way towards investing in areas which may have missed out previously.

“Over the years I’ve been frustrated [by] systemic deprivation in the same areas all the time,” said Cllr Pritchard. “I’m sure we want to see all areas of our borough improve and try to equalise that as much as possible. A fairer society is a better society.”