By Ethan Davies, Charlotte Hall, Chris Gee, Declan Carey, George Lythgoe, and Nick Jackson

The government has launched a new 'Pride in Place' programme, which will give 339 areas £20m over a decade to improve neighbourhoods — and let locals decide how to spend their money.

"For too long, people have watched their towns and streets decline – powerless to stop boarded-up shops and neglected parks. That ends now," said Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday 25 September.

"This is a huge investment, but what matters most is who decides how it's spent: the neighbours, volunteers and parents who know their communities best – the people with real skin in the game."

Greater Manchester has 19 lucky areas, covering nine boroughs. One of them is Brinnington.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to voters in the neighbourhood to see how they would spend the cash.

The top ideas were for a greater variety of shops so locals can bump into each other and new facilities for young people to socialise in.

"We used to have every type of shop you could need, there were two butchers, a cafe, and loads more," explained Warren Hughes, 89. "But it's all changed now. People don't talk to each other anymore, the whole place is different."

Warren Hughes said Brinnington has lost some of its local shops and identity (Image - LDRS)

"New spaces for shops and businesses would help," explained 61-year-old Pete Nicolson, a delivery driver. "Any thriving business would benefit an area, like cafes or anything really, not vaping shops or betting shops, we don't need any of those."

And one woman, age 49, who asked to stay anonymous said she wants to leave 'Brinny' — because its heart has gone.

"We had butchers and bakers but it's gone now, the heart is gone from Brinnington," she said.

"You used to go to the shops and meet people, see your friends. Now you just get what you need and go home. It's lost the community and taken the heart away. 

"If there was anything I would want this money to be spent on, it's that, trying to bring the heart back to Brinnington."

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