Completed petition Help Welsh Communities Buy Community Assets: Implement Part 5 Chapter 3 of the Localism Act 2011
Welsh communities continue to lose community assets such as pubs and sports grounds at an alarming rate. Unlike England & Scotland, Welsh communities still do not have the statutory right to bid for assets.
We urgently require new legislation relating specifically to Assets of Community Value. We call on the next Welsh Government to immediately introduce the provisions of Part 5 Chapter 3 of the Localism Act 2011 to ensure groups in Wales have the legal right to buy & manage community assets.
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Community assets build social capital, health and wellbeing. Losing community assets leads to weaker, more disconnected & unhappier communities
Part 5, Ch. 3 of The Localism Act 2011 granted the legal right for community groups to bid for & run assets of community value (ACV)under threat/for sale. It also requires local authorities to keep lists of such community assets. In Scotland, community groups have first refusal on these assets (https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06366/).
In Wales, however, the Welsh Government decided to not apply the relevant parts of the act that would facilitate this. Our communities are therefore being placed in a hugely disadvantaged position relative to England & Scotland.
In 2015, the minister stated that action would be taken on ACV during the 2016-21 Welsh Government, but nothing happened.
Implementing the relevant provisos of the Localism Act would hugely benefit Welsh communities desperate to save valuable local assets.
This petition was considered by the Petitions Committee
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