Cuts to central grants have forced councils into a “sell now and think later” approach to managing their libraries, town halls and swimming pools, according to a new report.
Community organisations charity Locality has revealed the results of freedom of information (FOI) requests to local authorities, showing that more than 4,000 buildings and land plots are being sold off by councils each year.
It said that many are being sold to private developers, meaning their benefit to communities is lost forever.
It said communities have no influence over what it termed “fire sales” of public assets, which often resulted in boarded up properties and, in turn, help cause “social, economic and environmental decline”.
The report added: “Of course there are times when a private sale may be the most viable or appropriate option, but this should not come at the cost of the community.”
Locality is calling for an increase in the number of public buildings and spaces transferred to community ownership, rather than sold to private developers.
It said community ownership of buildings would ensure “they are kept for use by the whole community, to provide a hub for local people, and a source of vital services and support for generations to come.”
Recent rule changes allowing councils to use proceeds from capital sales to fund revenue budgets, under certain conditions, have increased the temptation for local authorities to sell their assets, Locality said.
“With a backdrop of austerity facing local authorities many are using this as an opportunity to make short-term financial gains at the cost of losing some of the country’s most valuable assets,” the report said.
The FOI results showed less than half of councils (41%) have a strategy to support community ownership, the report said, which demonstrated “the significant lack of planning and a short-term approach to making critical decisions about public buildings and spaces being permanently lost to the community”.
Tony Armstrong, chief executive of Locality, said: “We know that many of the buildings being lost have valuable community uses. Every one of us can think of a local public building or outside space we love and use — from libraries to lidos and town halls to youth centres.
“They are owned by the public and they’re being sold off for short-term gain to fill holes in council budgets.”
Responding to the report, Richard Watts, chair of the Local Government Association’s resources board, said: “Councils take their responsibilities to maintain public buildings and the public spaces in their care extremely seriously.
“However, with local government facing an overall funding gap in excess of £5bn a year by 2020, councils face difficult decisions about how best to use their resources to support local services, day-to-day activities and to protect public assets, such as buildings.”
He said that councils should properly weigh up the cost of selling versus the benefits.
He added: “It is essential that the funding for local government, which has faced cuts of 40% over the last eight years, is put on a sustainable footing, so we can support our communities through essential services and vital infrastructure.”
