Community right to bid
The community right to bid gives community organisations the chance to bid for, and if successful, purchase and take over the running of assets that are of value to the local community.
Across the district there are buildings and amenities that are important to the communities that use them. These could include, for example, a shop, a pub, or a library. The closure or sale of these places can sometimes damage communities. Under the Localism Act, voluntary and community organisations can nominate an asset to be included on a list of 'assets of community value' held by the council.
If the owner of a listed asset wants to sell it, they must tell the council. The community will then be given a period of time to prepare and make a bid for the asset.
The current and future use of assets must further the social well being or social interests (cultural, recreational and/or sporting) of the local community. For example pubs, shops, libraries and community facilities, although not every example of these facilities will qualify. A shop in the Lancaster high street would not be considered to further the community's social well being or interests in the same way as a single shop in a small village. More details can be viewed at mycommunity.org.uk.
Alternatively, an asset can qualify if it had such a use in the recent past, and it is realistic to think that there is a time in the next five years when it could do so again (whether or not in the same way as before).
Nomination
If your voluntary or community group would like to make a nomination, please complete the nomination form available in the right hand downloads.
Once the council receives the completed form, it will have 8 weeks to decide whether or not to list the asset.
Successful nominations
The council will need to give notice that we plan to list the asset to the owner and occupier, relevant parish council and nominee. This will provide the owner with an eight week period to request a review of the decision. If the decision is still to list the asset, the owner has a right of appeal to a First Tier Tribunal.
Listing the asset would mean that when it comes to be sold, the owner must tell the council. If the nominating body is keen to develop a bid (6 week decision period), they can then call for the council to trigger a moratorium period (up to six months), during which a community organisation can develop a proposal and raise the money required to bid to buy the asset. The owner cannot proceed to sell the asset within this period. The asset will remain on the list for five years.
Unsuccessful nominations
If the council rejects a nomination we will write to the nominating body and explain why. This asset will be added to the unsuccessful nominations list for five years.
There is no right of review for a community interest group against a decision not to include an asset on the list.
Last updated: 15 May 2024