Future Innovation Forum 2017 Session 1 : Session 1: Commons X Democracy 2017 미래혁신포럼 세션 1 : 커먼즈 그리고 민주주의 More info at www.seoulfif.co.kr

1. Tony Armstrong
Chief Executive
Locality
@antlondon

2. Structure for presentation
1. About Locality – what we do and who are our
members
2. A brief history of the commons and democracy in
the U.K.
3. Community asset ownership – where are we now?
4. The future of the commons – what’s needed?

3. We believe in the power of community
We want a fair society where every community
thrives
We help local community organisations to be
strong and successful
About Locality

4. We represent hundreds of community-led
organisations across England

6. · Deliver hands-on support and advice to local
community organisations
· Offer peer learning and connection through our
national membership network
· Use evidence from our members to influence policy
to create a better operating environment for
members
· Provide tools & resources to inspire local people to
get involved in their community
What we do

7. Community anchor organisations
Ownership of shared assets
such as land and buildings
Community enterprise to
develop skills and retain
wealth locally
Services and contracts to
support and help local people
Other sources of funding such
as donations and grants

8. A long history of
democracy and
the commons
in the
U.K.

9. A long history of the commons and the
democracy in the UK
• Who owns the land? –tied to
democratic rights, inequalities
and class system through
British history
• Key to many revolts, political
movements and revolution –
the Levellers and the English
Civil War (1642 -1651)

10. A long history of the commons and the
democracy in the UK
• The cooperative movement – spread from the
1800s. Common ownership and collective power in
production and land
• Industrial philanthropy, model villages and the
Garden Cities – experiments in models of
community ownership and planning

11. The original community anchor
organisations: settlements
Multi-purpose social action
and research centres.
Originally set up by
universities in the 1880s.
Many evolved and expanded
scope of their work
At the forefront of social
change for more than 100
years.

12. Current agenda for community asset
ownership
• Some Government support – community asset
transfer agenda from New Labour
• The Localism Act and the Community Right to
Bid
• Community ownership underpins wider issues:
community control and voice, community-led
regeneration, sustainability of
community amenities and public
services.

13. The assets in a community
Types of assets…..
Managed workspace, industrial buildings, visitor centres,
marina, sports facilities, training facilities, shops, cafes,
cinema, housing, green space, car parks, community centres,
live/work space, health centres, nursery, transport (buses),
wind turbine, arts centre, an abattoir, chocolate factory, jam
factory

15. Benefits of community asset ownership
Places for community use
Foundation for new ventures
Shift from hand out to hand up
Resilience for the long term
Building community pride
Keeping wealth within neighbourhoods

16. Land and buildings – is the community in
control?
Low level of community control
Community consulted about assets
Community permitted to use assets
Community managing assets
Community owning assets
High level of community control

17. The future of the commons – the risks
• Pressures on local government budgets – risk of
commercial sales for quick finance – no
community voice or control
• Barriers for community owners: finance,
process, local government support, technical
support and expertise
• Erosion of valued places and spaces, deepening
community division and sense of
powerlessness

18. The future of the commons – the
opportunities
Every community has:
its people
its buildings
its land
its history
All of these can be liabilities, causing problems, and
despair
OR
they can be assets, creating solutions, and hope

19. Thank you
Please get in touch
@localitynews
www.facebook.com/LocalityUK
@antlondon
tony.armstrong@locality.org.uk