The government is introducing a new Community Right to Buy Fund. This new funding should help many community organisations in disadvantaged areas take ownership of local buildings and spaces and use them to benefit local people. At Locality we’ve been campaigning for this funding since the end of the Community Ownership Fund. The new funding comes alongside the new Community Right to Buy passed as part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act earlier this year, which gives communities first refusal when registered assets of community value come up for sale.
According to Communities Secretary Steve Reed: “A new £60m Community Right to Buy Fund will support groups to take over and run pubs, clubs, community centres and sports halls.” The government announcement says the new right "will hand people in deprived areas the money they need to step in and take over community assets at risk of closure otherwise – allowing pints to continue flowing and community centres to keep bringing people together in their areas."
As the national experts in community ownership, Locality has advice, tools and training to help local people and local authorities with every step of transferring buildings and spaces into community ownership. We will be working with the government to maximise the impact of the new funding.
Locality Director of Policy and Engagement, Ed Wallis said:
“The announcement of the £61 million Pride in Place Community Right to Buy Fund is a welcome move to help save our spaces and improve our communities – because rights without resources aren’t really rights. So today’s announcement, especially the fact the fund will be targeted at the most disadvantaged communities, is an important step forward.
“However, we know demand will far outstrip the money available, so this needs to be the start of an ambitious plan for community ownership. With Power to Change, supported by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, we’ve developed a detailed plan for how government can drive co-ordinated long-term investment, which we’ll be publishing in the coming weeks.
We look forward to working with the Secretary of State, alongside funders and social investors, to make sure this money has maximum impact. With the right support, communities can transform their local area, and make a real difference to local people’s lives.”
We will share more details on the funding when it is available.
Read more information on the Community Right to Buy here.
If you're considering or in the process of taking a building or space into community ownership, we have advice, tools and training available.