Community Ownership Fund

Community Ownership Fund

The Community Ownership Fund is a United Kingdom public funding programme created to support the transfer of community assets into local stewardship, established under the Boris Johnson administration and administered within institutions associated with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and UK Government apparatus. It aims to safeguard venues such as public houses, football clubs, theatres, libraries and village halls by offering capital grants and matched funding, building on precedents like the Big Society initiative and connected to policy debates around Levelling Up White Paper. The Fund operates through competitive rounds, engages with bodies including Community Land Trusts, Co-operative Party, Local Enterprise Partnership, and uses evaluation frameworks informed by organizations such as National Audit Office and Chartered Institute of Housing.

History and background

The Fund was announced in 2019 by figures associated with the Conservative Party leadership during a period of policy focus that included the Northern Powerhouse and the Levelling Up White Paper. Early pilots drew on models practiced by Rural Community Councils, Plunkett Foundation, and Co-operatives UK, while legislative context referenced the Localism Act 2011 and mechanisms from the Community Right to Buy in Scotland via comparisons with the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. Implementation aligned with funding streams overseen by the National Lottery Community Fund and regional approaches promoted by Combined Authorities, with oversight intersecting with inquiries led by the Public Accounts Committee.

Eligibility and application process

Eligible applicants include constituted bodies such as Community Benefit Societies, Industrial and Provident Societies, Charitable Incorporated Organisations, and Registered Charities that propose ownership transfers for assets including premises like stadiums, cinemas, museums, post offices, and railway stations where community purchase is feasible. Applications require business plans, financial forecasts, and proof of community support often evidenced by campaigning groups such as Supporters Direct or local alliances modeled on Save the Pub campaigns; consortia may involve Local Authorities, Housing Associations, or Town Councils as delivery partners. The process typically proceeds through competitive bidding rounds, appraisal by panels with representatives from Heritage Lottery Fund-style assessors, due diligence akin to Homes England procedures, and conditional grant offers tied to match funding from sources like Power to Change Trust, Co-operative Development Scotland equivalents, or private philanthropy associated with trusts such as Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Funding structure and governance

The Fund’s structure combines central capital allocations, phased disbursements, and match-funding requirements, administered via grant agreements that stipulate governance changes, asset transfers, and community benefit covenants similar to Community Asset Transfer protocols used by Local Government Association. Grants typically cover purchase costs, refurbishment, and capacity building; governance oversight uses reporting lines to departments headed by ministers previously serving in offices under Rishi Sunak and earlier cabinets, with auditing responsibilities that mirror standards applied by the National Audit Office and compliance expectations from regulators such as the Charity Commission and Financial Conduct Authority when Community Benefit Society capital is involved. Delivery partnerships may include intermediaries like Locality, Co-operatives UK, and regional bodies coordinated with Mayoral Combined Authorities and Devolved Administrations where cross-border learning occurred with Scottish Government programmes.

Projects and outcomes

Successful projects have encompassed acquisitions and refurbishments of assets including supporter-owned football clubs inspired by models in Spain and Germany, community-run pubs echoing campaigns by Campaign for Real Ale, arts venues revitalised along lines similar to initiatives by Arts Council England, and multi-use hubs combining health clinics, libraries, and business incubators comparable to projects supported by Nesta. Case studies reference towns where groups like Friends of the Village Hall or alliances linked to Supporters Direct secured ownership, negotiated leases with Network Rail for station buildings, or acquired historic properties listed by Historic England for community use. Outcomes reported include saved services, job creation, volunteer mobilisation, and increased footfall, with projects often forming part of local regeneration plans coordinated with Local Enterprise Partnership investments and sometimes leveraging tax relief mechanisms administered by HM Revenue and Customs.

Impact and evaluation

Independent evaluations draw on methodologies used by National Audit Office, Office for National Statistics, and academic studies from universities such as University of Manchester, University of Glasgow, and London School of Economics to assess economic, social, and cultural impacts. Measured indicators include asset permanence, financial sustainability, volunteer hours, and secondary effects on high streets and tourism comparable to findings in literature on community ownership in Spain and Italy. Critiques have been voiced in reports by think tanks like Institute for Government and Smith Institute concerning scale, additionality, and long-term funding for maintenance, while proponents point to comparative successes documented by Power to Change and case reporting in outlets such as The Guardian and BBC News. Ongoing monitoring is shaped by audit recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee and iterative policy adjustments reflected in departmental guidance.

Category:United Kingdom public policy