Social research services.

Maidstone Borough Council (“the Council”) invites tenders from suitably qualified and experienced organisations to design and deliver an independent, high-quality deliberative community engagement for the Park Wood & Senacre Pride in Place Programme. The Council is seeking a partner capable of designing and facilitating a robust, representative and independently delivered process through which residents can meaningfully shape the 10-year Pride in Place Plan for their neighbourhood. The purpose of this procurement is not to undertake a traditional consultation exercise, but to establish a legitimate community mandate that will guide long-term governance and investment decisions. Pride in Place is a flagship UK Government initiative providing £20 million of long-term investment over a ten-year period. Unlike short-term grant programmes or transactional engagement approaches, Pride in Place is designed to transfer meaningful influence into the hands of residents and embed community-led governance at the centre of place-based change. The programme represents a shift away from reactive interventions toward sustained, generational change. It seeks to address structural drivers of local challenge through a decade-long investment strategy shaped, prioritised and stewarded by the community itself. Achieving this requires a structured process through which residents are able to engage with balanced evidence, explore trade-offs, deliberate on competing priorities, and develop shared principles to inform strategic decision-making. Central to this model is the establishment of a Neighbourhood Board - a community-led body comprising residents and local stakeholders. The Board will act as steward of the programme and oversee delivery across three core pillars:

• Building thriving places
• Strengthening communities
• Taking back control The deliberative engagement commissioned through this tender will form the foundational evidence base and community mandate upon which the Board’s 10-Year Pride in Place Plan and initial Investment Strategy will be developed. This includes establishing a representative and legitimate community voice, articulating shared values and long-term priorities, and producing a clear and actionable roadmap capable of guiding the Neighbourhood Board as it assumes its governance role. Contract commenced 7th of May 2026