'Wales lags behind England and Scotland on community ownership'

Ms for North Wales

One of the things I have focused on in the Senedd is the issue of community ownership – local people being more involved in owning and running assets which are hugely important in their local communities.

For example, this could be a pub or a village hall which is falling into a state of disrepair, or any other community asset you can think of throughout Wrexham, Flintshire and the rest of North Wales.

To this end, last month I took part in an event looking at this issue. It was hosted by the Building Communities Trust, with Senedd Members from different parties joining in the discussion which is aimed at empowering our communities and giving them real influence.

It’s widely acknowledged that Wales lags behind England and Scotland on community ownership, but there is space for the Welsh Government in Cardiff Bay to step up.

In the meantime, UK Government is taking action on a UK-wide level. They have provided £150 million over 4 years to support community groups across the UK so they can take ownership assets which are at serious risk of being lost. This is fantastic for local communities up and down the land as community and volunteer groups are able to bid for funding to take control of these assets and run them for the benefit of local people.

There is a particular focus on assets which can be run on a long-term basis, so this isn’t just a short-term fix. Sustaining and developing these assets is at the heart of these projects.

I am pleased that there is recognition in the Senedd that more action is needed, but it’s clear more urgent progress is needed.

As ever, if you have any queries or issues, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact me by emailing sam.rowlands@senedd.wales or calling on 0300 200 7267.