Community Groups Can Run Local
Services
Local community groups and parish councils now
have the right to challenge local councils about the way they
deliver local services – and bid to take over the running of that
service if they think they can run them differently and better.
Known as the Community Right to Challenge,
it’s one of a raft of new initiatives developed by the Government
as part of the new Localism Act.
The Right to Challenge effectively means that
local groups can make a bid to take over the running of a local
service if they think they can do a better job or provide the
services better or cheaper, make them more responsive to local
needs, offer additional social value, or deliver better value for
money.
For parish councils or community groups to
take over a local service, they need to submit an expression of
interest to the council. If accepted, the council will then start a
tender process where anyone can bid to run the service on the
council’s behalf.
The window for submitting expressions of
interest opened on 1st March 2013 and will close on 30th April
2013.
For more information about the Community Right
to Challenge visit www.sstaffs.gov.uk/localism.