17th Jun 2015
Community Empowerment Bill reaches final stage.
More support and advice will be available for communities to take over land and buildings in their areas, Community Empowerment Minister Marco Biagi has announced.
The Community Ownership Support Service, which helps groups and local authorities transfer buildings or land assets, will see its funding increased to £400,000 over the next year.
By offering advice COSS has already helped communities turn council offices, schools, libraries and empty shops into sports centres, community shops and arts venues.
The funding boost will be used to spread the word through roadshows and by providing advice directly to community groups on the benefits of asset transfer.
It will also help the organisation support the implementation of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill which reaches its final stage in Parliament today.
The bill will give local authorities and public bodies a statutory duty to weigh up the benefits of transferring their land and buildings to communities. Read more about the community empowerment bill here…