Seven out of 10 requests to avoid wasting libraries, pubs and village halls have been rejected by a flagship Tory scheme.
Under the Community Ownership Fund, locals can bid for Government money to guard much-loved belongings from being misplaced or taken over. But new information reveals that 71% of requests had been rejected within the first 5 bidding rounds of the £150 million scheme, which was launched in 2021.
Some 316 bids had been rejected and 140 had been deemed ineligible, whereas simply 185 initiatives throughout the UK had been agreed, in accordance with Freedom of Information requests by native authorities researcher Jack Shaw. Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Angela Rayner accused the Government of “letting communities down” regardless of repeated Tory commitments to “level up” the nation because the 2019 election.
MPs on the Levelling Up Committee warned final 12 months that the coverage would fail with out clearer goals. And in November, the National Audit Office warned that initiatives backed by three authorities funds price as much as £9.5billion had been already delayed.
Ms Rayner mentioned Labour would provide a “Community right to buy” to provide locals first refusal on vacant outlets, pubs and treasured amenities like village halls and sports activities floor. She mentioned: “Having promised to protect local community assets like libraries, pubs and village halls, the Government is letting communities down. Local authorities are being forced by ministers to sell off assets, while the Government is failing to save them.
“Labour will strengthen the powers available to local communities to regenerate their high streets and town centres, through a strengthened Community Right to Buy. A Labour Government will provide communities with first refusal on a wider range of assets of community value, review the definition of community assets in existing legislation, and double the time period for communities to raise finance to buy assets of community value from six months to twelve.”
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: “Last year we funded every single project which could demonstrate a viable plan. We do not believe we should spend taxpayers’ money on projects which cannot demonstrate a viable plan but projects are welcome to re-apply with improved bids and an application window of the £150m Community Ownership Fund is currently open.”