I am delighted to be able to share some long-overdue but genuinely positive news for Clayton and Newton Heath. After months of determined campaigning and working closely with colleagues in government, I have secured £20 million of long-term investment for our area through Labour’s Pride in Place Programme.

This is a major win for our community. It means:

• £20 million invested over the next ten years;
• providing the long-term certainty our neighbourhoods need to plan properly for the future; and
• this is not a one-off pot of funding or a short-term initiative, but a sustained commitment to rebuilding pride, opportunity and confidence across Clayton and Newton Heath.

The funding will be focused on the things that matter most to local people. It will help improve the places where we live, work and grow up, invest in better local facilities, and back the community organisations that do so much to support residents every day.

For too long, communities like ours in East Manchester have been left behind. There has been too little investment and too many promises that were never delivered. “Levelling up” was talked about by previous governments, but it failed to reach places like Clayton and Newton Heath. I firmly believe you cannot level up the country without backing neighbourhoods that have gone years without the investment they deserve. This funding is about putting that right and ensuring our area finally gets its fair share.

I have always promised to stand up for our community and to fight for the investment we need in East Manchester, and I am proud to have helped secure this commitment. However, this is only the beginning. Local people will be at the heart of how this funding is spent. A neighbourhood board will soon be established, bringing together council representatives, myself as your local MP, residents, community leaders and local businesses. This board will help guide priorities and ensure the funding delivers real benefits on the ground.

This will be followed by a public consultation, giving you the chance to tell us directly what you want the money to be invested in and what changes you want to see in your area.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebuild Clayton and Newton Heath for the long term after 15 years of damaging cuts. Labour in government is delivering for communities that have waited too long to be heard. By working together, I am determined to make sure this investment brings real, lasting and positive change for you, your family and our community.

You can fill out the Council’s Pride in Place survey here – https://www.manchester.gov.uk/pride-in-place

Residents in Clayton and Newton Heath will hear more from me and Manchester City Council on this directly in the coming weeks and months.

I will keep this post updated with more information and keep an eye out on social media platforms.