Can a parish council buy property?

Question

Our parish council wants to buy a council house from a private resident who is moving into a home for the elderly.

Can the parish council buy this property to bring it back into the community rather than it becoming a 'holiday home'? Theynhave a precept of £3000/annum but appear to think they can get grants for this

Answer 1

I would be amazed if they could get a grant for the whole amount of the purchase plus legal fees.  Normally grants are match funded and therefore would require the parish council to put in some money.  The parish council could raise the money via an massive increase in the precept or via the public works loan board loan.

There is lots of information on community assets and rights on https://mycommunity.org.uk/.  I would be surprised if you can get support for the purchase of one house unless you turn it into a community centre or change it to flats as helping just one family probably wouldn't satisfy the grant requirements.

Comments

Interesting Mrs Abster thank you.
I have googled Public works loan board loan and I get UK debt management. AHave I missed something as it would appear you see a 'chance' they may not have. Any ideas?

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That is the correct body, it would seem the name has changed...
http://www.dmo.gov.uk/index.aspx?page=PWLB/About_PWLB

A previous parish council I worked for obtained a loan from the PWLB for the building of a village hall complex and I believe it is the only form of lending that a parish council can obtain as, normally, parish councils cannot have debts.

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Thanks Mrs Abster. I have done some more reading and appear to have found some interesting information. I really nee to know what the 'deposit' is or will it be match funding so between us we should  get an answer
Thanks again