Assets of Community Value in and Widford (Final Draft 9 June 2019 - Ready for Publication)

Registering Assets of Community Value

The Community Right to Bid was introduced by the Localism Act 2011. It aims to keep valued land and buildings in community use by giving local people the chance to bid to buy them, if and when they come onto the market. It also gives local people the opportunity to nominate public and private land and buildings to be included on a register of ‘Assets of Community Value’. If an asset included on the register is offered for sale, the right is triggered. Those interested in acquiring the asset will then have up to six months to prepare a bid and compete to buy it.

Please note: At present the Swinbrook and Widford Parish Council has not formally registered any Assets of Community Value with West District Council and the table below merely shows assets that the PC feels are of community value within the Parish.

The local community can use the Community Right to Bid to nominate, and then bid for local land and buildings including:

• Village shops; Village halls; Public houses; Former schools; Swimming pools; A public open space.

These might currently be in public ownership, but they could also be owned by a private company or an individual.

A building or other land is an Asset of Community Value if its main use is (or has recently been) to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and could do so in the future. The Localism Act 2011 states that 'social interests' include cultural, recreational and sporting interests. Regulations list a number of situations where land or buildings are exempted from inclusion on the list or operation of the moratorium. These include homes, hotels, assets being transferred between kindred businesses, and Church of England land holdings.

There are a number of community organisations that can nominate land and buildings for inclusion on the list:

• Parish councils • Neighbourhood forums (as defined in Neighbourhood Planning regulations) • Unincorporated community groups of at least 21 members • Not-for-private-profit organisations (e.g. charities)

Community organisations also have to have a local connection, which means their activities are wholly or partly concerned with the area, or with a neighbouring authority’s area.

Anyone eligible and wishing to nominate land or a building in the Swinbrook and Widford Parish can use the online form on the District Council (WODC) website, apply by email or send a request to the Local Land Charges department of WODC. If the land or building is outside the Swinbrook and Widford Parish, the nomination should be sent to the local authority for the area concerned.

The WODC will acknowledge all nominations, and must decide whether the nominated land or property should be included on its list of Assets of Community Value within eight weeks of receiving the nomination. Nominations which meet statutory criteria will be added to the list of assets of community value. The Owner of the property has a right to appeal the Council’s decision. The website at WODC shows a current list of assets recorded on the register of Assets of Community Value. https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/residents/communities/community-rights/

The Community Right to Bid does not give a right of first refusal to community organisations to buy an asset that they successfully nominate for inclusion on the Local Authority’s list. What it does do, is give time for them to put together the funding necessary to bid to buy the asset on the open market.

If an owner wants to sell property or land that is on the list, they must tell the Local Authority. If the nominating body is keen to develop a bid, they can then call for the Local Authority to trigger a moratorium period, during which time the owner cannot proceed to sell the asset.

There are two moratorium periods. Both start from the date the owner of the asset tells the Local Authority of their intention to sell. The first is the interim moratorium period, which is six weeks, during which time community organisations can decide if they want to be considered as a potential bidder. If none do so, the owner is free to sell their asset at the end of the six weeks.

The other is a full moratorium period, which is six months, during which a community organisation – having declared they wish to bid – can develop a proposal and raise the money required to bid to buy the asset. Regulations list some situations where the moratorium will not be applied, even when it is an Asset of Community Value on the list. These exceptions include the sale of assets from one partner or another (for example in a divorce).

Further information on the procedure and registration process can be found here: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/media/1269159/assets-of-community-value-guidance- notes-may-2017-.pdf

Provisional List of Assets of Community Value: (Note: none of these have yet been officially registered with WODC. This is for indicative purposes only. We would welcome suggestions from residents for additions to this Provisional List of Assets.) Please get in touch with the Clerk.

Asset Description Location Community Notes Value 1. Village Hall & Garden Centre of Village Centre of Amenity and Owned by Swinbrook meeting place charitable Village Trust 2 Swan Pub Village pub Swinbrook Amenity and Private bridge meeting place ownership 3. St Mary’s Church & Parish Church Centre of Religion & Glebe Swinbrook Heritage Village 4. Widford Chapel Parish Chapel In field near Religion & Exceptional Widford Heritage location 5. Village Green Either side of Stocks Hill & Green space Owned by Village Hall Village Green in Village centre of Swinbrook Village 6. Cricket pavilion & Village cricket Cricket ground Green space Owned by cricket pitch pitch near Swan Pub charitable in Swinbrook Trust Village 7. Swinbrook Bridge, Mill Beside Swan Pub Swinbrook Heritage Intact mill House & Weir bridge workings inside 8. Allotments land Original site Above village Horticulture Not in use 9. Benches 6 at various sites Road to Asthal, Amenity Insurance Old Farm, covered by Blacksmith’s S&WPC Lane, Churchyard, crossroad. 10. Public Footpaths Signs and badges Large sign on Amenity village green and various on sign posts 11. Salt Bins Plastic, Road safety Road safety Filled containing salt annually by PC 12. Village signs Swinbrook and Amenity Identifies Widford village entrance and exit road signs of villages 13. Road traffic signs All speed and Road safety Traffic calming New signage safety signeage in village in part paid for by PC 14. The Swin brook Stream Runs through Biodiversity: one This UK Swinbrook of the few species is village remaining currently localities for the being rare white ousted by an clawed crayfish imported US species. 15. Tudor cobbled pathway Original entrance Pebble Court Heritage Patterns are route to hard to see Fettiplace but are Mansion, cobbles worth set with heart preserving. and club patterns

Charities Benefiting Residents of the Parish:

1. Swinbrook and Widford Educational Charity (No. 309592)

Activities: Provides assistance for tertiary education for students living within the parochial parish of Asthal and Swinbrook-with-Widford from revenues received from investments and land rental to local farmers. Average annual income in 2013 - 2017: £1,824 Annual grants range: £1,000 - £1,035 Trustees: Rev Richard Coombs; Mr Edward James Walker; Mr Robin Meech. Contact: Mr Robin Meech, The Forge, Swinbrook, OX18 4ED Tel: 01993 824009; Email: [email protected]

2. Ann Pytt's Charity (No. 247891)

Activities: Funds raised are used for the upkeep of the fabric of the three churches in the parish administered by the parochial church council of Asthal and Swinbrook- with-Widford, namely St Nicholas; Asthal; St Marys, Swinbrook; and St Oswald's-in- the-field, Widford. Funds are obtained mainly from investment income and rental of land to local farmers. Current assets: investments and is held at Bampton, 3 fields in and near Swinbrook, including the former allotments and the former keeper’s cottage in Swinbrook at hit- or-miss. Average annual income in 2013 - 2017: £6,975 Annual grants range: £900 - £1,000 Trustees: Rev Richard Coombs; Mr Edward James Walker; Mr Robin Meech. Contact: Mr Robin Meech, The Forge, Swinbrook, Burford OX18 4ED Tel: 01993 824009; Email: [email protected]

3. The Asthal Swinbrook And Widford Relief In Need Charity (No. 207089)

Activities: income from investments used for any worthy cause considered to be appropriate by the Trustees from primary education to assistance with the needs of the elderly. Current assets: investments. Average annual income 2013 - 2017: £320 Annual grants range: £0 - 1,500 occasional grants. Trustees: Rev Richard Coombs; Mr Edward James Walker; Mr Robin Meech. Contact: Mr Robin Meech, The Forge, Swinbrook, Burford OX18 4ED Tel: 01993 824009; Email: [email protected]

4. Swinbrook Village Hall (No. 304381) Activities: Management and upkeep of Swinbrook Village Hall. Current assets: The village hall building and funds held in bank accounts. Annual Grants: No information Trustees: John Matthews; Malcolm Hudson; Contact: John Matthews Tel: 01993 823535 Or Robin Meech Tel: 01993 824009

5. Swinbrook Cricket Club (No. XXXXXX) This is a Club, not a charity, and is part of the Oxfordshire Cricket Association (Division 5). However, the cricket pavilion and cricket pitch are owned by a charitable trust for the benefit of the village, and if the Club ceases to exist these assets will become the responsibility of Swinbrook and Widford Parish Council. Current Assets: Cricket pavilion and the field for the cricket pitch. Secretary: Pete Foley Contact: Swinbrook CC., The Crossroads, Swinbrook, OX18 4DX E-Mail: [email protected] Ownership of Land: No information