Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 8
8
We welcome the introduction of the Community Ownership Fund but, at a time where many...
Recommendation
We welcome the introduction of the Community Ownership Fund but, at a time where many community groups have faced unprecedented challenges, we are disappointed that the bidding process did not begin in June 2021 as the Government promised it would. Access to facilities has long been an issue for grassroots and community sport and we are concerned that the fund, in its current format, will not go far enough. We were also not persuaded by the Minister’s argument that ringfencing money for sports groups would not be a good thing. In the short-term, we recommend that the Government set out the ways in which it will support community sport groups which are successful in applying for match funding through the Community Ownership Fund. In the longer term, we recommend that the Government ringfence money, either from the Community Ownership Fund or elsewhere, to enable sports clubs and teams to purchase and upgrade their own facilities. (Paragraph 49) Sports governance
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government is now assessing bids to the Community Ownership Fund (COF) and will work with successful applicants to implement their bids. The £150 million fund delivers on the 2019 manifesto commitment to strengthen community rights and support community groups to protect and take over local assets of community value. We will work directly with communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They know local people and places best, and we want to help them prosper. This is part of the UK-wide levelling up agenda, helping to support recovery, build opportunity and empower communities to improve their local places. From July 2021, voluntary and community organisations across the UK can bid for up to £250,000 matched-funding to help buy or take over local community assets at risk of closure to run as community-owned businesses. In exceptional cases, up to £1 million matched-funding will be available to help establish a community-owned sports club or help buy a sports grounds at risk of being lost without community intervention. 8 Government Response to Committee’s Fourth Report The COF will drive greater community ownership of assets that support the social wellbeing and interests of communities but are at risk of closure. In this way, important parts of the local social fabric, such as pubs, sports clubs, theatres and post office buildings, can continue to play a central role in communities across the UK. It should be noted however that purchasing and upgrading sport clubs’ own facilities is out of scope.