Developing Local Assets

Peter CleasbyChair, Plunkett Foundation

Living Villages, Hereford, 24 June 2011

PROBLEM?Loss of rural

services:

• Privately owned ££££££

• Public sector owned ££££££

• Community owned

£££ + ACTION£££ + ACTION

CHOICES Loss of rural

services:

Do nothing

OR

Take control

Helping rural communities

through community

ownership to take control of

the issues affecting them

NEEDS

• Belief

• Support

• Plan

• Assets

BEINSPIRED

There are over 250 community shops in Britain.

10% of all village shop closures are saved through community ownership

They continue to open.

BE INSPIRED

And it’s not just shops …

• Energy schemes

• Broadband

• Farms

• Pubs

• …. and more

PUBS?

There are 5 community-owned pubs in Britain.

4 are in rural areas.

PUBS!

• 1 pub closes for good every 8 hours

• 1300 pubs closed in 2010

• There are 5 community-owned pubs in Britain.

WHY SO FEW?

ENABLERS

• The False Start (2010)– 82 communities asked for help to

save their pub

• Localism Bill (2011)– Neighbourhood plans– Right to Buy

• Support programme (?)

GET READY

• Build community support for pub

• Demonstrate need for pub in neighbourhood plan

• Persuade council to register pub as “asset of community value”

• Carry on drinking

TAKE ACTION

• Council notification

• Mobilise support

• Develop business plan

• Secure funding commitments

• Submit bid

• Persuade owner to sell

TRICKY BITS

• No right of appeal against non-inclusion on register

• Narrow window for submitting bid

• No business support scheme

SUPPORT

You won’t be alone ….

• Experience of existing 5 pubs

• Plunkett Foundation advice

….. and for the future?

• Financial support package?

• Community pubs network

REMEMBER

It’s a business

It’ll be hard work

You can do it

GET IN TOUCH

mike.perry@plunkett.co.uk

info@plunkett.co.uk

01993 810730www.plunkett.co.uk

Facebook – Plunkett Foundation@PlunkettFoundat

@Mike_Plunkett