Pride of Place update

Council Executive has approved the appointment of Eric Lumsden to the role of independent Chair for the Neighbourhood Board for Pride of Place, a £20million Funding programme for Blackburn, Fauldhouse and Whitburn 
On 12 December it was announced that the areas selected for UK Government's Pride in Place Phase 2 funding would be; Blackburn, Fauldhouse and Whitburn. The programme is a 10-year programme with funding split between capital and revenue and will result in over £20 million being spent within these communities. 
The independent Chair for the Neighbourhood Board will be undertaken in a voluntary capacity. 
A local neighbourhood board is to be established to manage the Pride in Place funding. This is to be comprised of the local community, local elected members, MPs and MSPs. The Board will be responsible for engagement with the community and developing the Pride in Place plans for how the funding will be allocated over the 10 years.
Having undertaken an open application process, senior officers assessed notes of interest and invited six people to discuss their expressions of interest in more detail. Following this process, and having been endorsed by the two local MPs, it was recommended that  Eric Lumsden be appointed to the role of Chair. 
Mr Lumsden has family connections to Fauldhouse, was born in Whitburn, educated at Whitburn Academy and has lived and worked locally for most of his life. He has worked in Whitburn and Blackburn continuously since 1992, and demonstrated an extensive local knowledge of the three communities forming part of the Pride in Place programme. 
Mr Lumsden has undertaken a combination of national representative roles, formal tribunal leadership, and long standing involvement in local governance, and displayed the skills and judgement needed to guide complex partnerships and support delivery of meaningful outcomes. His lifelong connection to Whitburn and long standing professional presence in Whitburn and Blackburn has provided him with a strong understanding of local community dynamics, challenges and aspirations. In addition, he demonstrated his ability to chair meetings effectively, manage diverse stakeholder interests, maintain independence and accountability, and keep decision making focused on evidence and outcomes.