A scheme allowing people to save cherished parks, pubs and community centres has closed early with millions of pounds left unallocated.
The community ownership fund, launched in 2021, was due to run until the end of March 2025 and allocate £150 million to local projects.
But it has now completed its final round of grants, with the Government blaming the state of the public finances for the decision to end the scheme.
Around £135 million of the promised £150 million has been allocated to 409 projects over the course of the scheme, with a further £8.5 million used to provide support before and after applications.
The unspent money will be used to fund other Government priorities, officials said.
These projects represent what is so special about communities across the UK - bringing people of all ages together, providing vital support and giving them a sense of purpose and belonging
The final £36 million round of funding announced on Monday will go to 85 projects across the UK, including at least 35 community centres, eight pubs and eight parks.
Nineteen sports clubs and leisure facilities across the country will be saved, including four historic swimming pools such as the 1960s Portishead Lido in North Somerset and one of the last tidal pools left in the country, the Victorian Shoalstone Pool in Devon.
Funding for communities to save their local pub include £300,000 to buy back a village inn in North Yorkshire and £300,000 to renovate a 200-year-old pub in Gwynedd.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “We are delivering on our plan for change by saving these vital community assets to provide important opportunities for working people and their families.
“These projects represent what is so special about communities across the UK – bringing people of all ages together, providing vital support and giving them a sense of purpose and belonging.
“Every project will support social causes in the community, keeping widely used services open and thriving to improve people’s health and wellbeing.”
The latest application window for our £150 million Community Ownership Fund is NOW OPEN The fund helps communities across the UK to take ownership of buildings and other community assets at risk of closure. Apply now: https://t.co/jBpRiBUX0D pic.twitter.com/sZVKEgEvQj
— Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Gov (@mhclg) March 25, 2024
In Scotland, £5 million will be awarded to 11 projects, including more than £1.7 million to refurbish and expand the MacMillan Hub community arts centre in Edinburgh.
In Northern Ireland, £3.7 million will be awarded to 10 projects, including £800,000 to expand the building and outdoor spaces of an autism and additional needs charity in Belfast.
Wales will get £2.1 million for to seven schemes, including £400,000 to create a museum for the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.
Across England almost £22.5 million will be awarded to 75 projects: 11 in the South West with grants worth £4.7 million, some £4.6 million to eight schemes in the North West, 10 projects in the East Midlands will share almost £3.9 million, four projects in London will share almost £3.2 million, eight schemes in the South East will receive almost £3 million, six projects in Yorkshire and the Humber will get a share of almost £2.2 million, five in the West Midlands will split around £1.6 million, three in the East of England will receive a share of £1.7 million, and the North East will receive more than £675,000 for two schemes.
While the fund has now closed, ministers have promised to set out more details in 2025 on community ownership of assets under reforms in the English Devolution White Paper published earlier this month.
Minister for local growth Alex Norris said: “We’ve prioritised these grants to help preserve and upgrade what these vital places offer to their communities – whether that’s improving access to sport and education, tackling loneliness or boosting family services for parents and children.
“This is just the start of our work to support communities and give them greater control of their assets and we’ll be setting out our full strategy next year.”
