English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Baroness Pidgeon Excerpts

Committee stage
Wednesday 11th February 2026 Grand Committee

I confess that I am not entirely certain how this would work in practice, but the underlying principle is surely right: if we are serious about empowering communities to protect what matters to them, we must also equip them with the resources to do so. The question does not end at purchase; we must also consider how community engagement is sustained once an asset is acquired—how we ensure that ownership translates into genuine stewardship and that these assets remain living, active parts of local life rather than burdens that communities struggle to maintain. I look forward to the Minister’s response on these matters.

[Baroness Pidgeon (LD)]

My Lords, this has been a very interesting group and discussion. I will raise a couple of points. Amendment 235, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey, would remove the hope value from playing fields when being sold under the community right-to-buy process, enabling community groups to buy the land without paying an inflated price—something we very much support.

I am cautiously supportive of Amendment 235ZA in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey. My slight concern is that it says that the relevant local authority “must” use its power to acquire compulsorily the relevant asset of community value. I am not sure that that would be right. The authority could be required to do so—it should be a power—but I am not sure that it “must” be forced to do so.

I wanted to put on record our thoughts on those two amendments. It has been a very interesting discussion, and I look forward to the Minister’s response.

Debate on Amendment 222A adjourned.