Defeated Labour councillor to chair £20m Enfield Wash fund

A former Labour councillor who lost his seat at last month's election has been appointed to chair a new neighbourhood board that will steer £20m of government funding in Enfield Wash over the next ten years.

Rick Jewell, who served as Enfield Council's cabinet member for transport and waste until he was defeated by the Conservatives in Southbury, will lead the Pride in Place Enfield Wash Fund Board following what the council described as a competitive interview process.

The sums involved are significant. Enfield Wash was one of 40 areas across the country selected in March to receive £20m each through the government's Pride in Place Programme, with the money spread across a decade. That amounts to around £2m a year flowing into the area between now and 2036. Enfield was one of only three London boroughs to have two separate areas chosen, with Lower Edmonton also picked for its own £20m allocation.

As chair, Jewell will head the board responsible for deciding how that money is spent, working in partnership with Enfield North MP Feryal Clark to draw up a long-term plan for the area. The board is intended to keep decision-making community-led, with residents, businesses and local organisations able to help set priorities and apply to join its membership. The Enfield Wash board covers parts of Brimsdown, Carterhatch and Bullsmoor wards.

Jewell said he was "absolutely delighted" with the appointment, describing it as a chance to deliver lasting change for residents. He pointed to his 56 years living in Enfield, more than 40 of them in Carterhatch, and said he was committed to keeping residents "at the heart of every decision" made about the investment.

Clark, who will work alongside the new chair, praised the standard of applications and Jewell's record in local government, saying his combination of local roots, community volunteering and leadership experience made him a strong choice to lead the board.