Bozeat residents take control of their village green

A policy change has allowed communities to take on ownership of borough council-owned land, through a community asset transfer.

Chairman of Bozeat Parish Council Brian Gibbins and deputy leader of the council Tom Partridge-Underwood handed over a nominal fee of £1, for the land, in a ceremony at Bozeat Fete, to leader of Wellingborough Council Martin Griffiths to mark the transfer of the village green.

Wellingborough councillors resolved to transfer the land ownership of Bozeat Village Green to the parish council at the resources committee meeting last month.

Cllr Gibbins said: “The parish council is very pleased that it was given the opportunity by the borough council to acquire ownership of Bozeat Village Green.

“The parish council can now go forward, confidently, in continuing to maintain this important green space and to invest further in improvements that will provide even more opportunities for the community to host events there.”

Cllr Griffiths said: “We are committed to working with local communities and parish councils to transfer the land ownership of community assets to benefit local residents.

“The parish council submitted an excellent business case and have done an excellent job of managing the village green over last few years and we hope that local residents will spend many happy hours on the village green for years to come.”

Cllr Partridge-Underwood added: “I am delighted that Bozeat Parish Council has been successful in their bid to secure the village green for future generations. The parish council has been maintaining it for many years and has always kept it in good order.

“I wish them well in this new venture and hope we as villagers will enjoy using it for many more years.”

Since introducing the policy to transfer assets to an organisation for community use, the council has approved two other motions: the first was Glamis Hall, which was transferred to the charity Glamis Hall for All; the second was the Pocket Park and Tainty Field, Finedon, which is currently in the process of being transferred to Finedon Town Council.

To find out more about the Community Asset Transfer policy visit: http://www.wellingborough.gov.uk/info/200059/land_and_premises/1407/community_asset_transfer