TWO free sessions are being held in Bradford later this month for people interested in the powers local communities have to nominate land and property as community assets.

The provisions in the Community Right to Bid rules allow community groups to apply to Bradford Council to add assets that could be of benefit to the community to a list.

Once successfully registered it can allow time for a community buyout as the owners are unable to dispose of their property without first notifying the Council. It triggers a six week period giving local groups time to express an interest in bidding for the land or property. This can extend to six months if that interest is received.

The workshops are being run by The Neighbourhood Project which is based in Bierley, with a further four being held in Leeds.

Jonathan Crewdson, of the Project, which was previously called Neighbourhood Ventures, said: "Do you want to protect your neighbourhood’s post office, community shops or local pub from being sold or turned into something else? Are you concerned about the loss of services and amenities in your area? Perhaps there are proposals to demolish a building with heritage value.

"Delivered by the Neighbourhood Project, this free training explores the rights grass-roots communities have to register land and property as 'community assets' in order to better protect it and to give time for a 'community buyout' and how to go about this.

"We will also look at the more general idea of 'community owned assets', examples in practice and different models of owning, controlling or simply have more influence over assets."

The Bradford sessions will be held on Thursday, January 22, from 7pm to 9pm, at St Andrew’s Church, Otley Road, Undercliffe; and on Tuesday, January 27, from 7pm to 9pm, Bolton Villas United Reformed Church, Livingstone Road, Wrose.

The sessions are free and light refreshments will be provided, but places do need to be booked first by calling 07941 385306 or sending an email to jonathan@neighbourhoodproject.org.uk.

There are 19 assets currently registered with the Council, and of these four are under notification that the owner intends to sell them, and one is under appeal. In addition a total of five applications were deemed to be not valid, and two were withdrawn. Recent applications which are under consideration total six, with a bid to register a number of key buildings in Ilkley being the most recent addition. This includes Ilkley Town Hall, Ilkley Library, and King's Hall and Winter Garden. A decision on these six application is expected later this month at the relevant area committee meeting.