PETER MUSTWOKINGHAM CIVIC SOCIETY

What ‘we value’?

Listing Wokingham’s Town Hall

WOKINGHAM SOCIETYOPEN MEETING

WHAT THE LOCALISM ACT MEANS FOR US7:45 for 8pm WEDNESDAY 18 JULY 2012

BRADBURY CENTRE, METHODIST HALL, Rose Street, Wokingham, RG40 1XS

Come and hear about the new rights and powers that the Localism Act provides for local communities and town and parish councils to

shape their neighbourhoods, their amenities and their services, and to monitor how local authorities spend our money

Our speakers will be:Ian Harvey, Co-ordinator of Civic Voice,

the national organisation for civic societies Councillor Chris Singleton,

Member of Wokingham Town and Borough Councils LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED FOLLOWING THE MEETING

For more information contact:Peter Must, Chairman

Telephone: 0118 9781671e.mail:chairman@wokinghamsociety.org.uk

First List : October 2012

• (a) Buildings with our blue plaques on them• (b) Buildings designed by local architect Joseph

Morris (Old Police Station; Battys Barn; Presentation Convent)

• (c) Buildings provided by John Walter III (Clock Tower; Old School House; St Paul’s church)

• (d) Open Spaces managed by both Councils (playing fields; parks; allotments)

• (e) Individual buildings (eg schools such as The White House School)

Meeting with Town Council Planning Committee: January 2013

• Their list: Community Halls Library Parks White House School

• Our list: Assets owned by Town Council Old Police Station

Old School House White House School

Wokingham Borough Council

• The Borough Council started in January 2013 to produce its guidance on The Community Right to Bid

• In Feb/March 2013 it set up an office and issued its procedures

Town Council nomination: White House School

White House School

• July 2012: The White House School closed• July 212: Parents and Friends of the School asked Wokingham

Society to save the site• Autumn 2012: site transferred to a Trust• March 2013: offered for sale – bids invited• March 2013: Town Council nominates• April 2013: Listed as Community Asset• April 2013: Evendons Free School Group apply to DfE• June 2013: DfE approves application• October 2013: DfE chooses White House School site

Wokingham Society nomination:Wokingham Town Hall

Nominating the Town Hall

• Criteria: A hopefully easy trial run - The Council were happy with it

- Not controversial

- Clearly used for and by the community

- Likely to be of interest to the community

- No time pressure

The nomination process

• Draft nomination letter approved by Committee in April 2013

• Sent in draft to Policy Officer, Borough Council, for comment

• Final version submitted May 2013• Approved by Council on 15 July 2013• We told the press!

What next?

• Agreed to nominate the Borough Council Offices (I should have told Senior Officers in order to avoid panic among more junior staff)

• Waiting for Borough Council to finalise its Community Asset Transfer Strategy

• Ready for any emergency

How hard was that?

• Not at all really• The lessons: Get your town/parish council on side if

you can

- the statutory deciding authority/council

is not/should not be the enemy

- do think if anyone could or would want to afford it (eg playing fields) if you can’t

- don’t hesitate to ask for advice. It’s out there