Pubs, hotels, theatres, and other much-loved community buildings – they really matter to people here in Southampton. I see it at planning meetings all the time.

Residents, alarmed by plans for a change of use or redevelopment come armed with research they have done online insisting that the business would have been viable if only someone took the time and put in the investment to make it work. But sadly they go away disappointed, because it’s too late. There are no grounds to refuse permission on that basis.

But the passion, love for their community, experience and skills that I see in those planning meetings can be harnessed to protect what really matters – by registering these places as an asset of community value, and working to bring these places into community ownership through new stronger rules set to be brought in under the new Labour Government.

As ward councillors we get emails and letters from time to time mourning the state of the High Street in the City Centre and High Streets around the city, the boarded up buildings and businesses. Years of stunted economic growth and lack of investment in infrastructure has prevented businesses from taking over spaces. People want to see that decline reversed – and many want to play a part in turning this round

So I was delighted to be alerted by the Co-operative Party to the commitment by the incoming Government to strengthen the powers available to communities. This includes a first refusal on a wider range of assets of community value, reviewing the definition of community assets in existing legislation and doubling the time for communities to raise finance to buy the assets from six months to twelve, as well as changing from Right to Bid to Community Right to Buy.

I proposed the motion at the Council meeting on 18th September this year, and my ward colleague Cllr Pat Evemy seconded it. I believe that we were the first council to pass this motion and adopt it as council policy.

While waiting for the Government to announce their detailed plans for this shortly, I am talking to residents’ groups about the existing legislation and the possibility of it being expanded, to get them interested in identifying assets in their local areas.

This is the kind of change we want to see – empowered local communities taking control of our own futures. This is a real opportunity for communities all across the country, and I’m proud to see Southampton leading the way.