Stephen Rolph

Locality

Stephen.rolph@locality.org.uk

0845 345 4564

• Locality is the leading nationwide network of settlements, development trusts, social action centres and community enterprises. 

Locality

• Locality was formed through the merger of bassac and the Development Trusts Association, two leading networks of community owned and led organisations.

• 423 trusts in England• (Over 700 trusts across the UK)

• Members have a combined income of £325m

• of which £172m is earned income• £660 million community owned assets• Employ 5,500 staff and engage 20,000

volunteers• 82 members in London

Locality membership

Locality Members

grant funding assets enterprise

BUILD

BID

CHALLENGE

New Community Rights

• Community Purchase.• Community Asset Transfer.• Multiple Asset Transfer – the Supply Side.• Community Right to Bid.• Community Right to Reclaim Land.• Community Right to Build.• Compulsory Purchase for Communities.

Empowering Communities: Making the Most of Local Assets - http://tinyurl.com/9kfc8xl

Right to Bid is one of the options for Community Asset Acquisition

Asset Transfer:• Advancing Assets / Community Assets Programme / The ATU• 85% councils aware of agenda• 1,500 transfers underway each year, 40% increase during 2011-12• £100m+ investment

Right to Bid:• 1,800+ enquiries since April 2012 (a quarter from London)• Guidance and resources developed

www.mycommunityrights.org.uk • Grants programme launched (Social Investment Business)• Provisions formally commenced in Sept 2012• 476 nominations / 387 listed (34 nominated / listed in London)

Our Experience: Headlines

The Ivy House Pub, Nunhead, LB Southwark

The Ivy House pub in South London was possibly the first place in the country to be listed as an asset of community value using the Community Right to Bid. And the fight to save this historic pub has paid off, with the pub being brought into community ownership in March 2013!

The Pub?

The Post Office?

The Village Hall?

The Corner Shop?

The School?

The Allotments?

Your House?

The LA’s role• LAs manage a list of ‘assets of

community value’.• Public, private, and VCS owned.• Nominations - Parish Council or a

locally connected voluntary or community body.

• LA must inform owner and nominee.

• Right of appeal for landowner, but not the nominee!

• 5 year listing.• 9 London Boroughs still haven’t

got anything on their website.

BID

Contents of a nomination

• Description of land/buildings.• Details of known occupants/owner.• Reason(s) why the nominee thinks it’s an

asset of community value.• Evidence that nominee is eligible to

nominate.

BID

DefinitionCurrent/recent past use furthers the “social well-being” or “social interests” of the community, and likely to continue to do so (or could do so again).

Social well-being is not defined.

Recent past is not defined (5 years?)

Social interests defined as: ‘cultural, recreational or sporting interests’.

Must be its principal use.

Some exclusions – the main one is residential.

BID

Moratorium Periods• Triggered when owner wants to sell –

freehold/25 year lease.• Owner cannot conclude sale – illegal to do

so.• 6 weeks for community group to notify LA

they wish to make a non-legally binding bid.

• A further 4.5 months to raise capital to purchase (6 months in total).

• Followed by a protected (18 month) period to protect owner from repeated attempts to block sale.

BID

Moratorium exemptions• Housing, NHS and ‘land of statutory

undertakers’.• If the disposal of the asset is a gift or is made

between members of the same family.• If the land or building being disposed of is part

of a bigger estate.• Binding agreement entered into before

listing.• If the disposal is made to a new owner to

continue the same business.

BID

The opportunity

• Owners view assets in a different way – as valuable community resources.

• A legal duty upon councils and a right for communities.

• Effects on planning – material consideration?• Applicable to privately owned assets.• Makes ownership visible.• A stimulus to community asset mapping –

creates a sense of urgency/fundraising focus.

BID

Challenges• Will it discourage discounted asset

transfer?• Communities of interest as

compared with communities of place?

• Definition of an ACV - postcode lottery?

• Access to capital finance?• 6 months (development time is

usually 18-36 months).• It’s not a right to buy - the owner

does not have to sell to the group.

BID

Right to Bid vs Asset TransferRight to Bid Asset Transfer

Basis Statutory Local policy

Type of asset Defined in Localism Act Any council owned asset

Ownership Any owner Public sector only

Process Defined in Localism Act By negotiation

Value Market value Undervalue

Terms Freehold or lease of 25+ years

By negotiation

Community assets grants from SIB

• Available from Social Investment Business:• Pre-feasibility grants - £5k to £10k.• Feasibility grants - £10k to £100k.• Capital (Round 2 coming soon!)

• Applies to Right to Bid and Asset Transfer.• For consortia building, training, expertise,

business planning, market research, etc.• Not intended for equipment, building costs

or running costs.

Grants

No. of ap-plications

Successful0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

£s re

ques

ted

£s a

warde

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£s re

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ted

(cap

ital)

£s re

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(cap

ital)

0500000

10000001500000200000025000003000000350000040000004500000

Emerging social finance market • The Investment & Contract Readiness Fund

www.beinvestmentready.org.uk  • The Big Venture Challenge www.bigventurechallenge.com • Key Fund Yorkshire http://www.thekeyfund.co.uk/ • Esmee Fairbairn http://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/ • Unity Trust Bank http://www.unity.co.uk/ • Charity Bank http://www.charitybank.org/charity-loans • Triodos Bank http://www.triodos.co.uk/ • Cooperative and Community Finance

http://www.coopfinance.coop/ • Big Issue Invest www.biginvest.co.uk • Venturesome

https://www.cafonline.org/charity-finance--fundraising/banking-and-investments/loans-and-capital.aspx

• Find out about some of the projects Locality has assisted: www.locality.org.uk/assets

• Take advantage of our Community Asset Mapping Platform: www.theplacestation.org.uk

• Obtain further information about the Community Rights Support Service: www.mycommunityrights.org.uk

• Follow our pilot work with private sector property professionals: www.localitybrokers.org.uk/

• Use our Whole Life Costing tool for communities: www.buildingcalculator.org.uk

Advice, support and services

BID

Community Right to Bid

Any questions?

www.locality.org.uk

www.mycommunityrights.org.uk