Rachel Eburne

Community Right to Bid – Within The Localism Act 2011 the Government introduced a range of community rights designed to empower local communities.  These rights include, among others, Neighbourhood Plans, Community Right to Bid (for assets of community value) and Community Right to Challenge.  Mid Suffolk District Council (MSDC) has recently introduced protocols specifically to address the Community Rights to Bid and to Challenge.

 Under the new arrangements a community group (such as a Parish Council) can register with the Council an “asset of community value” where its purpose is cultural, social or sporting.  The asset can be owned privately (eg: a pub) or publicly (eg: a playing field).  If the asset is registered and the owner decides to sell it, the protocol ensures that there is a period of time in which the community can, if they wish, prepare a bid for the asset before a sale goes ahead.  MSDC’s protocol allows for an initial 8 week timeframe for a community to signal its intention to bid followed by a twenty week period during which the community can actually bid for the asset.

 Development in Haughley – At a recent MSDC meeting it was finally agreed that development in Bixby Avenue should be planned to go ahead and that this will not lead to any compulsory purchase orders.  We now await plans from MSDC and I have asked that any news is communicated to residents as soon as possible.  Linked to this, we are still awaiting a planning application for the area owned by MSDC between Denny Avenue and Ladyfield.  Again, I have asked MSDC to make sure residents are informed as soon as possible.