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Navca claims victory as Localism Bill passes through House of Lords

Finance | Niki May Young | 20 Oct 2011

Umbrella organisations fighting to maintain the six-month period in which to register their interest in buying community assets as part of the Localism Bill are celebrating success after the publication of the Bill following the House of Lords report stage.

Led by Navca, some ten other umbrella organisations fought the (then) Countryside Landowners Association which sought to reduce the proposed six-month period to just three months. The umbrella organisations believed that this would make it impossible for community groups to piece together a funding package and business plan in order to bid for properties should they come up for sale, and lobbied Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to ensure the Localism Bill’s ‘Right to Buy’ clause would benefit local charities and community groups.

The Localism Bill was published following the House of Lords report stage on Monday (17 October) and agreed with the lobby that a six-month period was required.

Kevin Curley (pictured), Navca chief executive, said: “Navca’s campaign is to make sure that the Localism Bill delivers on its promise to give powers to local people and communities. I am delighted that the Lords agreed that communities need at least six months to prepare bids if the ‘Right to Buy’ is to mean anything.

“Getting our work recognised in the House of Lords is greatly encouraging but there is still a lot of work to do to ensure that the Localism Bill gives real powers to local communities.”

The Bill must still pass through the House of Lords third reading stage and so the campaign continues with a petition available at www.RP4C.org.uk.

At a conference in March, Curley had asked Pickles if it would be possible to extend the six-month period, but he ruled out an extension saying: “I can’t see that we will go significantly beyond six months.”

The Country Land & Business Association (formerly the Countryside Landowners Association), the membership organisation for owners of land, property and businesses in rural England and Wales, conversely campaigned to reduce the period in the interests of its members.

It said that the Localism Bill could actually discourage people from providing land and buildings for use by local communities and increase red tape for rural businesses.

Under the Bill local authorities will be able to put land or buildings that can be called 'community assets' on the Right to Buy list. These properties can then not be sold or given away without first allowing community organisations the chance to bid for their purchase. 

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