\u00ab\u00a0It’s been a rollercoaster,\u00a0\u00bb says Debbie Taylor.<\/p>\n
Her domestic abuse service has been trying in vain to buy the derelict Ram’s Head pub in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside for nearly three years.<\/p>\n
But under landmark new \u00ab\u00a0community right to buy\u00a0\u00bb powers in England that came in to law this week, the organisation may finally get to transform it into a hub providing local services.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0It’s more than a building. It’s what it can represent in the future for us and for the families that we’re supporting,\u00a0\u00bb Taylor explains. \u00ab\u00a0It’s safety, stability, a future for people in our communities left with no options when they’re in crisis.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
Sweeping changes in England have put power into the hands of thousands of community groups like Debbie’s.<\/p>\n
The new law is part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, which was described by ministers as \u00ab\u00a0the biggest transfer of power to our communities in a generation\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
It means grassroots organisations will now have a right to buy community assets unchallenged, if they can fund the necessary funds within 12 months.<\/p>\n
There is already a \u00ab\u00a0right to bid\u00a0\u00bb for assets of community value such as pubs and libraries, with a six-month window to raise funds. But one study suggested about 2% transfer into community ownership, mainly because groups struggle to raise the money in time.<\/p>\n
When the Ram’s Head came up for auction, Taylor’s organisation, Domestic Abuse WA12, had not got enough money together in time, and the pub did not meet its reserve price to sell.<\/p>\n
With a combination of a public fundraiser, borrowing and charitable grants, she hopes to both expand the organisation’s services and stop the disused pub being a target for antisocial behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0Securing the property would allow us to bring all our levels of support together under one roof to create an accessible community where people can feel safe but also rebuild their lives.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0It could have such value in our community for so many people, and be saved as a beautiful building as well.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0This is a real watershed moment, we are thrilled,\u00a0\u00bb says Tony Armstrong, chief executive of Locality, the national network for community-led organisations.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0We know there is a real need for dedicated funding and support around community ownership. It’s a fantastic new right, but it needs to be backed up by clear support and access to resources.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
The new rights are slightly bittersweet, he says, after the current government did not renew the \u00a3150m Community Ownership Fund, which helped community groups take control of local assets at risk of closing.<\/p>\n
Without a designated pot of money, Armstrong fears that even with a 12-month window, only the wealthiest communities will be able to raise the money required.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0The key risk for this is that it remains an achievement on paper, rather than being something which can be taken up, up and down the country. I think that’s our real concern,\u00a0\u00bb he says.<\/p>\n
The new law also widens the definition of what makes something an \u00ab\u00a0asset of community value\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
Previously, a building had to have been used for community benefit within the past five years, but that cap will be lifted.<\/p>\n
The definition will also be expanded to include assets that bring economic as well as social wellbeing to the area, as well as a new sporting category.<\/p>\n
That’s a change that could help Deana Bamford, whose co-operative Coalville CAN wants to turn the Leicestershire town’s shuttered market hall into a community hub for clubs and social enterprises, along with a caf\u00e9 and rotating events programme.<\/p>\n
The local authority, which owns the building, turned down the co-op’s application to turn the former market hall into an asset of community value. But the new laws give groups the right to appeal this decision.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0Hopefully that will give us more traction to be able to push them to say ‘we’re going for it again,'\u00a0\u00bb she says.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0There’s still a lot of industry around the edge of the town, and there’s still loads of people who could come into the town centre, if we could start getting hold of the buildings that aren’t being used and make them available for people to do the things they’re passionate about,\u00a0\u00bb she says.<\/p>\n
The co-operative used community share offers to help open their present building, CAN HQ, which showcases the work of over 100 local creatives and artists, alongside an advice drop-in, repair workshop and kids clubs.<\/p>\n
They have also benefitted from funding from musician Brian Eno’s Coral Foundation.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0Coalville is a town typical of many others\u2026 it’s got areas of deprivation \u2013 you might call them that \u2013 but we call it full of local people with loads of skills and talents that haven’t been given the chance.\u00a0\u00bb Bamford says.<\/p>\n
She hopes the new law will mean places like the market hall permanently stay in community hands.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0It’s for forever. Once the asset’s been secured and upgraded, it can change its purpose, but it can’t change its ownership.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00ab\u00a0It’s been a rollercoaster,\u00a0\u00bb says Debbie Taylor. Her domestic abuse service has been trying in vain to buy the derelict Ram’s Head pub in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside for nearly three years. But under landmark new \u00ab\u00a0community right to buy\u00a0\u00bb powers in England that came in to law this week, the organisation may finally get to transform […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10083","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10083"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10083\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}