Protecting Community Sport Facilities

Cramlington and Killingworth Labour and Co-operative MP Emma Foody will next week present a bill in Parliament seeking to protect community sport facilities.

On Tuesday 6th May, Emma Foody will introduce the Sport Facilities Community Asset Bill, a Ten Minute Rule Bill which seeks to ensure that community sporting facilities are protected as community assets.

The Localism Act 2011 allows for community organisation to nominate an ‘asset of community value’ meaning that should it be sought to be sold by a local authority, the community have time to consider taking over the asset, known as a ‘community right to bid’. This could be a local pub, shop or community centre with the right to bid allowing communities the chance to keep the building in use for the community and an important local hub or asset.

The Bill brought forward by Emma Foody would amend the Localism Act to automatically include local sporting facilities as Assets of Community Value, removing the need for community groups to nominate to have the facilities listed as community assets.

Speaking ahead of the Bill being introduced, Emma Foody commented:

“Local sport facilities and assets are at the heart of communities, providing the opportunity for people to play sport, hold community and charity events, holiday clubs and must more.

“They are often the glue providing a sense of place and community and the only community buildings in some of the villages and towns across the country.

“Many are run by the community through volunteers and the current system for listing as Assets of Community Value is complex, meaning that these vital hubs in our communities aren’t protected as they should be.

“My Bill, supported by the Co-operative Party, would ensure this protecting and give these vital community hubs the protection they deserve”.