Stuart Anderson MP Welcomes Labour's Latest U-Turn That Restores Community Ownership Funds
Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed Labour's latest U-turn, which restores £61 million for community ownership projects after the government axed the last Fund in December 2024. Stuart hopes that the change in policy hopes will help save cherished community assets in rural areas like South Shropshire.
- Labour's latest U-turn restores funding for community ownership projects.
- The previous Community Ownership Fund was axed in December 2024.
- Stuart has welcomed the change in policy but said rural areas must benefit.
- Full details are expected to be released in the coming months.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
"Cherished assets like our pubs, clubs, and sports halls are at the beating heart of communities like South Shropshire. They are proven spaces for fostering social connection and tackling loneliness. With hundreds of pubs having closed under this Labour government, dedicated funding for community ownership is essential to save these assets from being converted or demolished. I am delighted to have helped secure this change in policy after Labour axed the Community Ownership Fund in December 2024. I hope the Community Right to Buy Fund will put local communities back in charge of their future. This is a vital part of my plan to unlock rural prosperity and champion our cultural heritage. I am now pushing to ensure rural areas like ours benefit from the £61 million funding announced."
Stuart Anderson MP has welcomed Labour's latest U-turn which restores "vital funding" for community ownership projects, after the Government axed the Community Ownership Fund in December 2024. Launched by the last Conservative government in 2021, the £150 million Community Ownership Fund helped local groups take ownership of assets at risk of being lost. The Fund was an integral part of the last government's Leveling Up agenda to restore pride in local communities. Before its closure, the Scheme had awarded £135 million to 409 projects across the UK - including £269,892 to The Crown Inn in Newcastle on Clun. Stuart supported the application following initial support from Ludlow's former Member of Parliament Philip Dunne.
In August 2024, Stuart then called on the Labour Government to continue the Community Ownership Fund. In his response to the Autumn Budget consultation, he urged further support for locally valued assets after the Scheme was closed. In response to a written Parliamentary Question tabled by Stuart, Ministers said that they were investing in the 'Pub is the Hub' initiative, but did not extend the Community Ownership Fund. That came despite the Government's own impact assessment stating that the Scheme had "proven to be a particularly important source of funding for communities using the Right to Bid since its introduction in 2021."
On 16th June 2026, Communities Secretary Steve Reed MP confirmed plans for a new "Community Right to Buy Fund", which will be targeted at deprived areas in England. As well as pubs, the Minister said it will be available to take over and run other community assets - like clubs, community centres, and sports halls - that are in danger of disappearing. The investment includes around £51 million to help communities buy assets and around £10 million for capacity support.
Stuart has welcomed the restoration of the scheme but said that rural areas must benefit. This is because such venues are often the only places in which rural communities can come together. Fresh research from WPI Strategy highlights that pubs are vital community hubs, generating an estimated £30 billion annually in wellbeing value by combating loneliness, strengthening social cohesion, and boosting overall life satisfaction. However, the British Beer and Pubs Association has found that 161 pubs closed in the first three months of 2026 – equivalent to two pubs a day, leading to 2,400 job losses. The campaign is part of Stuart’s plan for South Shropshire, which includes unlocking rural prosperity and promoting the area’s cultural heritage. Details about the Right to Buy Fund will work, who can apply and how are due to be confirmed in the coming months.
