News New Independent Chair appointed to lead £20m, resident led Pride in Place programme
Maidstone Borough Council has appointed Dave Creasey as the Independent Chair of the Neighbourhood Board for Pride in Place: a £20 million, 10 year UK Government funded programme led by residents to deliver long term change and shape the future in Park Wood, Senacre and surrounding areas.
The appointment is a key milestone for the programme, which focuses on putting local people at the centre of decision‑making, with the council and partners supporting delivery rather than directing it.
Dave brings more than three decades of experience working across community, voluntary and statutory sectors, with a strong priority of building trust, supporting vulnerable residents and developing community‑led solutions.
He has spent over 20 years working in and around Shepway, Park Wood and Mangravet as a community and church leader at The Vine Church, where he has helped develop a range of locally driven initiatives including a foodbank, community café and support services which have been shaped and delivered by residents.
His career also includes senior roles within Kent Probation Service, with experience in mental health and social care settings, and leadership positions across governance and education, including Chair of Trustees for Switch Youth Services and a Co‑opted Governor for Leigh Academy Trust.
As Independent Chair, Dave will lead the Neighbourhood Board in bringing together residents, community representatives and partners to guide how Pride in Place funding is used, ensuring that local priorities, personal experiences and community strengths drive decisions.
A central part of his role will be to ensure that voices from across the community are heard, particularly those who may not usually engage with formal processes, and to support collaborative working between residents and organisations.
Speaking about his appointment as Independent Chair, Dave Creasey said:
I want to see our community empowered and so often with lots of different initiatives, things happen to communities rather than them being led from the residents, themselves. This changes through the Pride in Place funding and the ideas around what needs changing, and can be changed, will be community-driven.”I want to see people not just survive in their day-to-day life, but actually thrive in their community. I want to see aspirations being lifted and for people to feel pride in their environment and the place where they live, rather than it just being a place where they exist.
Next steps: residents invited to join the Neighbourhood Board
Recruitment is now open for members of the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board, with applications closing on Friday 19 June 2026. Local residents and community representatives are encouraged to apply and join Dave in shaping the future of their area.
As a member of the Board, individuals will have the opportunity to influence how up to £20 million of investment is used over the next decade, ensuring that community priorities are reflected. Board members will work alongside partners from across the public, voluntary and private sectors while keeping residents at the heart of the programme, helping to deliver practical improvements in wellbeing, opportunity and the local environment.
Those who join will play a direct role in ensuring that Pride in Place delivers meaningful, lasting impact and builds on the strengths that already exist within the community.
Local residents who are interested in applying to join the Neighbourhood Board can find out more and apply here.
Cllr David Naghi, Maidstone Borough Council Cabinet Member for Community Cohesion and Safety, said:
This Pride in Place investment is a significant opportunity for Maidstone and demonstrates the confidence being placed in our communities. This programme will support residents to shape the future of their areas, building on local strengths and creating lasting improvements over the next decade.Dave’s appointment is an important step, and his experience working alongside communities will help ensure local voices are at the heart of decisions. I would strongly encourage residents to come forward and apply to join the Neighbourhood Board and play a direct role in making a difference where they live.
For any local residents that would be interested in joining the Neighbourhood Board, a drop-in session will be taking place on Friday 12 June at Christchurch, Wallis Avenue. Come along between 9:30am to 2:30pm to find out more about the role and the exciting opportunity to create strategic community-led changes.