The My Community Rights online hub and advice service run by Locality helps communities to use the Community Rights. £30m of grants made available by DCLG through The Social Investment Business support the community ownership and management of buildings and land, and the running of local services.
What are the Community Rights?
The Community Rights are a set of powers which give you more control over your community. They can help you to save local shops, pubs, libraries, parks and football grounds.
You can decide what is built and how the area should develop. Plus groups have the chance to deliver local services and develop them into community enterprises. The local area is in your hands!
Communities Minister announces £9.5m of funding to support neighbourhood planning
On 14 March 2013 in Bankside, London, Don Foster MP announced a £9.5million, 2-year fund to support people across the country in creating neighbourhood plans to shape development in their area. The support service and grants provided by Locality launched on 1 May.
There are four Community Rights
The new Rights contained within the Localism Act came into effect in 2012 devolving power from government to communities, local authorities and individuals.
Community Right to Build
The Right to Build gives communities the power to build new shops, housing or community facilities without going through the normal planning process. Read our Understanding the Community Right to Build guide and also find out how it works.
Community Right to Bid
The Right to Bid gives communities the opportunity to bid to buy and run valued local amenities if they come onto the open market. (In effect from autumn 2012). Get advice on owning and managing community assets including asset transfer which Locality has been supporting through the Asset Transfer Unit for many years.
Community Right to Challenge
The Right to Challenge gives local groups the opportunity to express their interest in taking over a local service where they think they can do it differently and better. Read the Understanding the Community Right to Challenge guide and find out how it works.
Neighbourhood Planning
Neighbourhood planning powers give people the chance to decide how their local area should develop and what should be built.
Further reading
Here’s the plain English Guide to the Localism Act.
And for those who enjoy plenty of reading – all 500 pages of the Localism Act.