COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (097) issued by COI News Distribution
Service on 28 April 2009
Communities
Secretary Hazel Blears has today unveiled a series of measures to
back a people's revolution to recycle buildings by putting
real power in the hands of locals to support communities during
the downturn and beyond.
The tougher economic climate has led to renewed interest in
communities maintaining local assets, from post offices to pubs.
As part of the Government's empowerment agenda, Ms Blears
has announced a new single advice line - 0845 345 4564 - and other
Government support to make it easier for people to take control of
community assets, from community centres to theatres.
Driving this revolution in the public sector, there are a range
of options for local councils to give people real power including
handing over buildings as a gift to a community group, selling at
below market price, or keeping the building off the market while a
local project develops their plans and secures the funding.
Already, there are estimated to be over £1billion worth of
buildings under community control - with some agreements dating
back to the 1970s.
But from today, taking on a local building will become easier. As
well as a new single national advice line for anyone wishing to
find out how to do it, Ms Blears highlighted key projects that
have set the standard - including Coin Street Community Builders
in London and the Goodwin Development Trust in Hull - that anyone
wishing to do it can learn from. A new Asset Transfer Unit will
give local people the information they need to get through any
planning, legal and financial barriers.
Hazel Blears said:
"Local people have been leading a revolution to recycle
buildings for the community, particularly during the downturn.
"We want to help more local people get their hands on local
buildings so they can put them to work for the community. For too
long, too many have not even seen it as an option. And when they
have it has felt like an endurance test.
"We want to change the odds in their favour, and for them to
know that taking the first step could be a simple phone call. From
today the national advice line, backed by experts at local and
national level who have been there and done that, can help guide
people through the financial, legal and planning barriers.
"It is more achievable than people think to recycle a
building. And by calling 0845 345 4564 they can take that first
step to taking control."
This ownership of local public buildings typically involves
community centres, former schools or old town halls. But it
doesn't stop there - other projects being developed include
theatres, a cattle market, and even a medieval barn. What matters
to local people can even extend to converting a former toilet
block - as in Bollington. Other examples include:
* Mitchell Memorial Theatre - Stoke (West Midlands);
* Medieval barn, Winterborne - South Gloucestershire;
* Cattle market - Rugby;
* A housing project for 30 affordable green houses and
reinvigoration of community centre and shops - Mildenhall,
Suffolk; and
* An old train station converted into a town's Heritage
Centre - Bellingham, Hexham
Today's announcement is the next step in taking forward the
Quirk Review 2007, which set out plans on how to make better use
of public assets through community ownership, and follows measures
announced earlier this month to help find creative ways for
communities to bring empty shops back into use.
Recycling buildings is a key part of the real progress that has
been made to give people a greater say over the decisions that
affect their communities. Since 2005, communities have been given
a direct say over how at least £14m worth of local public budgets
are spent.
Notes to editors
1. Hazel Blears has announced 22 new demonstration areas on top
of the existing 50 where more intensive work will support councils
and communities to make progress on transferring local buildings
into community ownership:
* Bristol City Council
* Coventry City Council
* Erewash
Borough Council
* Fylde Borough Council
* Lancashire
County Council
* Lincoln City Council
* London Borough of
Camden
* London Borough of Greenwich
* London Borough of
Islington
* London Borough of Lambeth
* North Norfolk
District Council
* Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
*
Rugby Borough Council
* Salford City Council
* Sandwell
Metropolitan Borough Council
* Southampton City Council
*
Staffordshire County Council
* Staffordshire Moorlands
District Council
* Swale Borough Council
* Tameside
Council
* Torridge District Council
* Wolverhampton City Council
2. A tailored package of support is developed by the Development
Trusts Association for each area to support the local authority in
developing a Community Asset Transfer strategy and to work on
pilot projects.
3. Hazel Blears also highlighted a set of inspirational projects
that show what can be done, and that those aspiring to take
control of community buildings can learn from, including:
* Coin Street Community Builders project on London's South
Bank
* All Saints Action Network in Wolverhampton, West
Midlands
* Sunlight Development Trust in Gillingham,
Kent
* Millfields Development Trust in Plymouth, Devon
*
Lenton Centre in Nottingham
* Goodwin Development trust in
Hull
* Amble Development Trust in Northumberland
*
Keystone Development Trust in Norfolk and Suffolk
4. The Looking After Our Town Centres Guide was published on 14
April. Details can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1201277
5. The Asset Transfer Unit is an independent service, funded by
government but led by the Development Trusts Association which has
members and staff in every region, in partnership with Community
Matters and Local Government Association. It has an
independently-chaired Stakeholder Forum of expert organisations.
Media Enquiries: 020 7944 3288
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom