A pivotal moment for community power: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act

After months of debate, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill has passed finally into law.

This is a moment of real progress. It shows that community power is no longer an idea on the fringes of our politics, and is firmly on the national agenda. But while this legislation moves us forward, it doesn’t yet give communities all the powers they need to truly shape their places and futures.

The question now is simple: will this Act unlock real change on the ground or will the potential of our communities continue to go unrealised?

Community Right to Buy

One of the most significant steps forward is the introduction of a Community Right to Buy, something we’ve been campaigning for alongside the wider communities sector since the start of our campaign. For many local groups, this could be transformative – opening the door to take on buildings and spaces that matter to them.

We’ve spent years trying to secure a permanent base so we can bring our services together and better support survivors of domestic abuse and the wider community, but the system hasn’t worked in our favour. We’ve identified a building at the heart of our community that could transform what we do, but securing it has been an uphill battle.

The Community Right to Buy gives us renewed hope. It could be a real turning point – giving communities like ours the chance to take control of buildings that have been left to deteriorate and turn them into something meaningful again. For us, it’s about creating a safe, welcoming space where people can access support, rebuild their lives, and feel part of a community. It also recognises the value of community-led organisations and the role we can play in local regeneration.

Debbie, Founder of Domestic Abuse CIC WA12

We know that when communities take control of local assets, they can revive high streets, create vital services, and build pride in place. This policy recognises that. 

But a right alone isn’t enough. 

Without the right financial support, many communities – particularly those in areas of greatest need – simply won’t be able to act on this new right. If the Community Right to Buy is to succeed, it must be backed by funding that ensures every community can benefit, not just in the more affluent areas. 

The Community Right to Buy will only be as effective as the support that sits behind it. Without access to finance, it risks becoming a symbolic right rather than a practical one.

Our experience shows that for community ownership to truly work, assets need to be as close to debt-free as possible. This creates the conditions for low-cost, community-led businesses and activities to start, grow, and deliver long-term social value.

Deana, We’re Right Here Campaign Leader and Community Connector at Coalville CAN

There is also a critical role for strong statutory guidance. Councils must enable communities to take on spaces that will deliver long-term benefit for local people. And that benefit should be understood broadly: environmental value should be recognised alongside social and economic value.

We are calling on the government to recognise the ‘environmental benefit’ of a community asset in statutory guidance – ensuring that stories like Fordhall’s are not a one-off David and Goliath battle, but instead the start of a new movement empowering our communities to nurture and nourish our working countryside so that it can nurture and nourish us back in return.

Charlotte, We’re Right Here Campaign Leader and Manager at Fordhall Farm Land Initiative

What’s missing… and the opportunity ahead 

While the Act does represent real progress on community assets, it fails to meaningfully empower communities in other areas. 

It doesn’t strengthen the ability of communities to shape the public services local people rely on, or the investment decisions that shape their neighbourhoods. This represents a missed opportunity by the government to empower local voices more meaningfully, though we hope this gap will be addressed in future legislation. As it stands, community organisations and groups will still be left out when key decisions are made in their local area. 

However, the new duty on councils to ensure that every community has a neighbourhood governance arrangement, could wind up being a significant step towards a community-powered future. 

If these arrangements are designed to put communities in the driving seat and give local people a real say in the decisions that affect their daily lives, this could be a turning point for our neighbourhoods and the groups working tirelessly to drive local change. 

In Market Drayton, this approach is already being put into practice. Over the past year Charlotte has been piloting community-powered neighbourhood governance in her hometown and shared: 

Over 20 groups and organisations have worked in partnership with Shropshire Council to develop and improve services in our community and in some cases we have doubled provision as a result. It is a completely different cultural approach and one that is truly collaborative, equal and rooted in our communities.

Charlotte, We’re Right Here Campaign Leader and Manager at Fordhall Farm Land Initiative

At a time when many people feel increasingly shut out of decision-making, partnerships like this matter more than ever. 

Too often, communities feel that public institutions are distant, unresponsive, or simply not working for them. This disconnect fuels frustration and division. Closing the gap between people and politics isn’t just good policy, it’s essential for rebuilding trust in our democracy. 

Neighbourhood governance, done right, can be a big part of that solution.  

Meeting the moment 

This is a pivotal moment for the community power movement. 

The Act creates new possibilities but it’s what happens next that will determine whether those possibilities become reality. Without continued pressure, there is a risk that this moment will pass without delivering the change communities need. 

We’ve spent the last five years campaigning alongside some of the most committed community leaders and inspiring organisations across the country, all calling for change that genuinely shifts power to local people. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see that work begin to translate into legislation. 

But this has never just been about getting something on the statute book, it’s about making sure policy change truly reflects what communities have been asking for all along and delivers real change on the ground. This is a significant step forward, and one we should recognise, but there’s still more to do to make community power a reality in every neighbourhood.

Andy, We’re Right Here Campaign Convener and Chief Executive at Heeley Trust

That’s why the We’re Right Here campaign will continue to work with partners and supporters across the country to push for community-powered neighbourhood governance and for further action to unlock the potential brimming within each of our communities. 

Because we know that people don’t just want to be consulted, they want a meaningful say in shaping their futures. They don’t want just one small step for their community, they want a giant leap towards community power. 

Write to the Minister

We’ve written to the Minister for Communities alongside national organisations, calling for a different kind of conversation. 

We’re asking the Minister to meet not just with policy staff, but with community leaders – the people doing this work every day, who understand what works on the ground and what needs to change. 

And you can help! 

Add your name to the letter and help us show that communities across the country are ready to shape their own future, if they’re given the chance to do so.