Response to Senedd committee community assets inquiry

The Bevan Foundation has shared insights from its work two years ago on community assets with the Senedd’s influential Local Government and Housing Committee. The Committee has a specific focus on barriers and opportunities for communities to acquire built assets for community use. It will explore how the statutory and policy framework encourages and supports the development of community assets for the benefit of communities. 

As well as responding to the specific questions asked by the Committee, the Bevan Foundation’s response says that the Committee must consider that community-owned assets are neither a good nor bad thing.  The opportunities they offer depends on the type of community service involved. The Foundation makes clear that it does not support public bodies transferring unsustainable services or buildings to community organisations, and says that the real potential lies in growing other services.