Six-month right-to-buy window long enough, says Pickles 3

Finance | Tania Mason | 2 Mar 2011

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has ruled out lengthening the window of opportunity for civil society organisations to take advantage of the right to buy community assets, stating that six months should be sufficient time to submit a bid.

During a Q&A session at the end of Pickles' speech to the NCVO annual conference yesterday, Navca chief executive Kevin Curley said the right to buy outlined in the Localism Bill was very important and welcomed by the sector, but complained that the timescale suggested of three or six months wasn’t long enough.

“Many organisations need longer than that to assemble enough capital for a substantial purchase, they often need 12 months,” Curley said. “Are you willing to consider a longer window? Funders can six months or more to make a decision on a bid.”

But Pickles refused to budge. He said he had received submissions from people saying six months was an unreasonably long period to give CSOs.

“I think it’s about right because you have to balance the rights of landowners as well,” he said. “You need to produce something that won’t be subject to judicial review.

“Of course we are open to suggestions in any consultation, but I can’t see that we will go significantly beyond six months.”

Directory: National Association of Voluntary and Community Action
Who's Who: Kevin Curley

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Paul Edwards
Community Development Worker
N/A
7 Mar 2011

I can hear Eric Pickles statement in 6 months time, now. "Unfortunately, the voluntary sector has not reacted, in a timely, to our munificent offer to allow them to buy community assets. We are, now, open to selling them to the private sector...at knock-down, fire-sale prices, of course (It wouldn't be Thatcherism, otherwise)!"

[Reply]

Ron Alexander
Chief Executive
Carers FIRST
3 Mar 2011

There is complete lack of joined up processes. The local government, although working constructively with voluntary sector organisations, has on several occassions changed the timetable for tendering for services. This timetable now does not fit with looking at possible purchase of community assets.

Something about right and left hands comes to mind.

[Reply]

Bob
3 Mar 2011

He's clearly never had to work up a funding bid, submit it, wait for a decision, deal with Local Authorities, banks et al, organise professionals then go through the legals !!!

Guess again Eric !

[Reply]

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