Sector bodies warn Pickles against watering down Localism Bill

Finance | Tania Mason | 21 Jun 2011

The chief executives of nine sector organisations have written to Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles urging him not to cave in to pressure to reduce the six-month window for allowing civil society groups to register their interest in buying community assets.

The letter, signed by the chief executives of NCVO, Navca, Acevo, Volunteering England and others, expresses concern that recent debates on the Localism Bill in the House of Lords risk undermining the Secretary of State’s desire to empower and give new rights to local communities.

The signatories stated that the Community Right-to-Buy proposal contained in the Localism Bill is an important and symbolic step forward that would be hugely beneficial for community groups and the people they serve.

However, they state: “We understand that there is some pressure to reduce the moratorium period to three months. All the evidence from our members suggests that even six months is a very tight timeframe for community groups to confirm their interest, assess viability, raise the finance, and deal with any legal or other complications and that three months, in nearly all cases, is likely to prove impossible.”

They concluded: “We, the co-signed, would have serious concerns should the proposals be watered down and the moratorium period reduced.”

Pickles: Six months long enough

When Pickles (pictured) spoke at the NCVO annual conference earlier this year, he ruled out making the six-month window any longer.

“I think it’s about right because you have to balance the rights of landowners as well,” he told Navca chief Kevin Curley, who had raised the issue. “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.”

The letter was signed by:

Sir Stuart Etheringotn, NCVO
Sir Stephen Bubb, Acevo
Kevin Curley, Navca
Justin Davis Smith, Volunteering England
Peter Holbrook, Social Enterprise Coalition
Steve Wyler, Locality
Toby Blume, Urban Forum
Tim Waldron, YMCA
Debbie Sorkin, National Skills Academy for Social Care

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