In March 2025 Prime Minister Starmer launched The Plan for Neighbourhoods programme which reforms and expands on the previous administrations Long-Term Plan for Towns programme.
The Plan for Neighbourhoods doubles the scope of the types of projects that can benefit and is now fully aligned with the government’s long-term Plan for Change missions: breaking down barriers to opportunity and kickstarting economic growth.
55 communities across the UK were chosen to be part of the first phase of this programme.
A second round of 20 UK communities were identified in March 2024.
Arbroath is one of the three communities in Scotland to receive £20 million in endowment-style funding and support over ten years to build up the Arbroath Neighbourhood Plan, with local people deciding what the priority projects are and what the money should be spent on.
The Neighbourhood Board will use the local community’s input to prepare a Regeneration Plan (ten-year vision for the town) and a three-year Investment Plan.
The Neighbourhood Board chair and Board members were initially appointed in June 2024. Following the launch of the Plan for Neighbourhoods the membership was reviewed and confirmation of membership provided to UK Government in April 2025.
Regeneration Plan Objectives
There are 3 strategic objectives of this programme:
Thriving Places
Vibrant neighbourhoods and communities with busy high streets, a good range of local amenities, and high-quality physical infrastructure.
Stronger Communities
Bringing people together so they can feel proud of their area and safe in their neighbourhood. Improve social capital, tackle the root causes of community division, rebuild relationships, and restore a collective sense of community belonging.
Taking Back Control
Empower people to have more of a say in how their local area is shaped, children have the best start in life and adults can live the life they want to. Empower people to enter the workplace, workers to progress, and businesses to grow. This will in turn help kickstart local economic growth.
Interventions
The UK Government published a list of pre-approved interventions that local authorities and Neighbourhood Boards can use for the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme.
Town Board Members (Our Arbroath)
Peter Stirling, Chair of Arbroath Town Board, (Local Business Representative)
Nevada Mitchell, Vice Chair, (Local Business Representative)
John Steel, Vice Chair, (Local Business Representative)
Fiona Doran, (Community Council – Chair of Royal Burgh of Arbroath CC)
Brian Cargill, (Sports Organisation – Arbroath FC)
Grace Ewing, (Senior Police Representative)
Stephen Gethins MP
Graeme Dey MSP
Lucy Byatt (Arts Organisation – Hospitalfield)
Katie Baxter (Anchor Institution – Dundee and Angus College)
Victor West (Local Business)
Jade Mitchell (Local Business)
Alex Smith (Community Partner – Arbroath Improvement Trust)
Jack Cruickshank, Councillor (Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim)
Lois Speed, Councillor (Arbroath East and Lunan)
Documents
Arbroath Town Board meeting minutes 9 September 2024
Arbroath Town Board meeting minutes 12 August 2024
Meetings
With links to minutes where available. Minutes for all meetings will be uploaded in due course.
2025
- 14 July 2025
- 6 June 2025
- 13 May 2025
- 15 April 2025
- 18 March 2025
- 18 February 2025
- 21 January 2025
2024
- 17 December 2024
- 19 November 2024
- 22 October 2024
- 9 September 2024
- 12 August 2024
Next steps
Specific details are provided on the Arbroath Town Board Our Arbroath website.
Read more about the Plan for Neighbourhoods.