Community right to challenge

A voluntary or community group can 'express an interest' or bid to run services that are provided by the local authority where they feel they can do so differently and better. For a full details of what voluntary and community groups are defined as in this instance, read Gov.UK, community right to challenge, sections 1.4 to 1.15

The government guidance notes provides detailed information about:

services that groups and communities can express an interest in bidding for
when expressions of interest can be made
what information you need in order to express an interest
on what grounds an expression of interest may be rejected
amending an expression of interest
the procurement process

The website My Community also provides further information about how community groups can get involved in the running of services.

Submitting an expression of interest

If you want to submit an expression of interest, contact our Legal team.

Community right to bid

This allows community groups an opportunity to organise a bid to purchase important local land or buildings if they are for sale. The first step in the community right to bid process is that local groups or parish councils need to nominate buildings or land as 'assets of community value.'

If any of these assets of community value come up for sale, the community can request a 'moratorium' on the sale. This essentially means there is a pause in the sale process until the community can pull together enough financial or business support in order to buy the asset. The moratorium period is usually six months.

The government policy notes provides an overview of the community right to bid.

The website My Community (understanding the community right to bid) also provides more information about this and also offers support and advice should your community decide to bid for an asset.

Submitting a bid

If you want to submit a bid, contact our Shared Legal team at sharedlegal.planning@westsuffolk.gov.uk

Nominations accepted as a community asset

Name of nomination	Date nomination received	Date listed as an asset
Beehive, Horringer Six week moratorium period triggered on 18 August 2015, expired 29 September 2015. Intention to bid received - moratorium period to expire 18 February 2016. Request for a review to the First Tier Land Tribunal received 14 September 2015. Tribunal decision that listing should remain made 26 April 2016.	28 April 2015	8 June 2015
Bennet Arms Public House, Rougham Six week moratorium period triggered on 20 February 2018, expires 20 April 2018. Intention to bid received - moratorium period to expire 20 August 2018.	1 March 2017	18 April 2017
The Burton Centre, Camps Road, Haverhill	22 October 2012	6 December 2012
The Cock, Little Thurlow Six week moratorium period triggered 27 August 2015, to expire 8 October 2015. Intention to bid received, moratorium period to expire 27 February 2016. No bids were received during the moratorium period.	16 June 2015	9 July 2015
Corn Exchange, Haverhill The initial and extended moratorium periods were triggered and elapsed on 15 September 2016; the protected period ended on 15 September 2017. The property will remain listed until 19 November 2018.	24 September 2013	19 November 2013
The Fox, Pakenham Six week moratorium period triggered 4 November2014, to expire 17 December 2014. No application to bid - property now to be sold on the open market without restriction.	19 June 2013	18 September 2013
The Marquis of Cornwallis Public House and Associated Land, The Street, Chedburgh, Bury St Edmunds, IP29 4UH. The Council received notice of the owner’s intention to sell the property on 13 November 2017which has triggered an initial six week moratorium period. The initial moratorium period expired on 25 December 2017, an intention to bid was received. A six month moratorium has been triggered ending on 13 May 2018.	30 September 2016	23 November 2016
Oak Community Woodland (site 2903, Woodland adjacent to Rougham Hill Lorry Park)	3 February 2016	30 March 2016
Solstice House (previously Fox and Hounds pub) Felsham Road, Bradfield St George	1 April 2014	6 May 2014
The Swan Inn, Thetford Road, Coney Weston, Bury St Edmunds, IP31 1DN	11 July 2016	09 August 2016
Weeping Willow, 39 Bury Road, Barrow First six week moratorium period triggered on 17 March 2015 - the period has now expired and no intention to bid has been received - a further moratorium period allowing protection to the owner has now been triggered to expire 28 April 2017.	25 February 2015	11 March 2015
The White Horse Public House (currently known as Bradman’s), Withersfield	14 March 2017	9 May 2017
The Crown and Castle Public House	1 August 2017	26 September 2017
The Greyhound Inn, Flempton No application to bid - property now to be sold on the open market without restriction.	4 December 2017	2 February 2018