A project designed to help smaller rural communities across Ceredigion will invest in and restore community spaces, the county council has said, while it welcomed a UK Government announcement of a separate £1.5m fund to “breathe new life into communities across Wales.”

While plans have been in place for several years to invest in Ceredigion’s major towns, the council has now set out its Shaping Place Project that will help 13 rural villages in the county “understand their needs, shape their vision and identify priorities.”

The 13 rural communities that will be the focus of the Place Plans are Aberporth/Parcllyn, Bow Street (including Llandre), Cenarth, Felinfach/Ystrad Aeron, Llanarth, Llanilar, Llanon, Llanrhystud, Penrhyncoch, Pontarfynach (Devilʼs Bridge), Pontrhydfendigaid, Talybont, Y Borth.

Chris Jones Regeneration has been appointed to support them with the development of the Place Plans for each rural community.

Cabinet member Cllr Clive Davies said: “The place making process and plans has been of value to our main towns in Ceredigion.

“They have provided a focus and access to funding for realising plan elements.

“With carrying out a similar exercise with larger communities across the county, this will also add value, give focus and direction to future developments.”

There will be a number of ways that local residents and groups can help shape the Place Plan, including walkabouts, drop-in sessions and surveys over the coming months.

Elsewhere, Ceredigion County Council will receive £1.5m in UK Government capital funding to improve public spaces.

The funding has been announced through a multi-million pound Pride in Place programme, launched by the Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Ceredigion council welcomed the announcement and said it was waiting for more details on the funding.

Mr Starmer said: “We’re investing in the UK’s future, by backing the true patriots that build our communities up in neighbourhoods across every corner of the country.

“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.”

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said: “Building pride in place starts with people, not politics.

“Local people know what they want to see in their neighbourhoods – and they don’t need government to dictate it.

“This plan will spark an historic grassroots movement that will restore local people’s power, boost national pride and help people get on in life across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.

“In Wales, local authorities will be invited to propose the communities within their areas to participate in the Pride in Place Programme for UK Government approval.

“This will be an inclusive process where the local authority will engage with local stakeholders including MPs, MSs and the Welsh Government to ensure local fit and alignment with existing schemes such as placemaking plans and the Transforming Towns initiative.”

A spokesperson for Ceredigion County Council said it “welcomed this announcement and will investigate further when more details are shared with us.”