Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Assets of Community Value (Sports Facilities) 2025-05-07

07 May 2025 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Emma Foody Lab/Co-op Cramlington and Killingworth

Culture, Media & Sport

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Emma Foody raised concerns about assets of community value (sports facilities) 2025-05-07 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • Sport plays a crucial role in many communities, with local sports teams often being the source of pride.
  • Local sporting facilities are vital for wellbeing, providing physical infrastructure that ensures people stay healthy both physically and mentally.
  • The Bill proposes that sporting facilities should automatically be designated as assets of community value, making it easier for communities to take ownership and protect them.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Emma Foody Lab/Co-op Cramlington and Killingworth

Sport plays a crucial role in many communities, with local sports teams often being the source of pride. Local sporting facilities are vital for wellbeing, providing physical infrastructure that ensures people stay healthy both physically and mentally. Facilities such as football pitches, swimming pools, and leisure centres help foster community identity and provide spaces for activities like teaching children to swim or hosting events during school holidays. The disappearance of these facilities can be devastating, leaving communities without access to sports and impacting local pride and belonging. To prevent this, the Bill proposes that sporting facilities should automatically be designated as assets of community value, making it easier for communities to take ownership and protect them.

Other contributors (1)
  • Emma Foody Lab/Co-op Cramlington and Killingworth

    Local sports clubs contribute significantly beyond producing international stars by providing essential services during school holidays and supporting local communities. Examples include Cramlington Town football club, West Allotment cricket club, Bates Cottages cricket club, and Concordia leisure centre. These facilities are crucial for community well-being and should be safeguarded against closure through automatic designation as assets of community value.

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