This petition was submitted by Daniel Evans having collected a total of 655 signatures.

Text of Petition:                    

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.

Additional Information:

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.

Status

This petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on 05/06/2023.

The Committee considered the petition. Considering the detailed work carried out by the Local Government and Housing Committee, Members agreed that there was little further that could be achieved through the Petitions Committee. Members wished to congratulate the petitioner on a successful campaign resulting in legislation being considered. The Committee will share the Local Government and Housing Committee’s report and the Welsh Government response with the petitioner and close the petition.

Full details of the consideration of this petition by the Committee and related documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above.

It was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 09/02/2021

Senedd Constituency and Region

• Bridgend
• South Wales West

Further information

• The Petitions Committee homepage
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