Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the number of a) community centres, b) halls and c) shared civic spaces that have closed in the last three years.

Responsibility for the provision and management of community buildings and spaces sits primarily with local authorities and local partners, who are best placed to understand local need and demand. The Department engages more broadly with councils in Essex and the voluntary and community sector through cohesion projects and policy initiatives that can support community infrastructure and resilience, for example, through the Common Ground Awards. This is a capital grant programme that funds voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in England to improve or equip community spaces that bring people together from different backgrounds. The awards support small-scale building works or equipment purchases to strengthen social cohesion and help communities connect and share space.

The Department does not hold data on the number of a) community centres, b) halls and c) shared civic spaces which have closed in the last 3 years.

Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we are, however, introducing a new community right to buy that will empower communities to take ownership of valued community spaces and protect them for the benefit of the wider community.