Decision details

To approve the draft process for responding to bids the City Council may receive under the new Community Right to Bid process in the Localism Act 2011 

Matter for Decision: Using new community rights enabled under the Localism Act 2011, local community, voluntary bodies and parish councils will be able to identify land and buildings such as a Local shop, Local pub, Community center, Library, Swimming pool or Playground. These can then be nominated for inclusion on a list of assets maintained by the City Council. If an asset on the list comes up for sale, community groups will be able to trigger a pause for up to six months, in order to raise capital and bid to purchase the asset before it goes on to the open market.

Decision of the Leader:

The Leader resolved to:

          i.            Note the new requirements under the Localism Act.

        ii.            Agree the Council’s approach to this new duty as set out in the officer’s report.

      iii.            Delegate responsibility for determining whether assets are listed on the register of assets or not to a panel of three senior officers from Property Services, Planning and Community Development convened by the Head of Planning Services.

      iv.            Bring back a further report to the Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee on 15 October 2012 to agree the Council’s final approach to this duty once Regulations had been published.

Reasons for the Decision: As set out in the officer’s report

 Any alternative options considered and rejected: As set out in the officer’s report

Scrutiny Considerations

The committee received a report from the Head of Planning Services.

The committee made the following comments on the report:

        i.            Raised concern that, as a bid would have to come from a well-established and very well funded organisation, it may give false hope to local communities.

      ii.            Highlighted the difficulty in assessing the ‘community value’ of a piece of land or a building.

In response to member’s questions the Leader confirmed the following:

        i.            Acknowledged the difficulty in assessing ‘community value’ and noted that further guidance to ensure nationwide consistency would be beneficial.

      ii.            Proposed that a further report be brought back to the Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Committee on 15 October 2012 to agree the Council’s final approach to this duty once Regulations had been published.

The Scrutiny Committee considered and approved the amended recommendations by 8 votes to 0 (unanimous).

The Leader approved the amended recommendations.