IT was good to meet Matt Morris from the Duchy of Cornwall on Friday, June 26 to discuss the future of community assets in Bradninch.

With the Duchy having announced plans to sell a large part of its historic estate near Cullompton, understandably many local people have been anxious about what this means for the places they hold dear.

The Duchy is selling around 3,500 acres of land and property in and around Bradninch, an estate it has held for centuries.

Alongside the farms and homes affected, the sale has raised concerns about a handful of much loved community assets, namely the football pitch used by Bradninch FC, the allotments, the wetlands and the Hele Road Conservation Area.

These are exactly the sorts of spaces that give a town its character and bring people together.

The good news from the meeting is that the Duchy has confirmed its intention to continue to work closely with the town council to help to ensure the transfer of the football pitch, the allotments and the Hele Road Conservation Area into community ownership, with the aim of keeping them available for public use.

I welcome that commitment.

Our discussion was a constructive one, and I stressed the importance of continued engagement with local people at every stage.

The wider picture shows just how valuable community assets are and I am proud that it was a Conservative led government that brought in the relevant legislation.

Under the Localism Act 2011, communities can nominate a treasured building or space as an Asset of Community Value, giving local people the chance to bid if it is ever sold, and thousands of pubs, halls, sports grounds and green spaces have been listed across the country since the scheme began.

Community ownership has a strong record too.

According to the Campaign for Real Ale there are now well over 200 community owned pubs in the United Kingdom, and almost every one that has opened has gone on to survive, a success rate few ordinary businesses can match.

When local people are given a genuine stake in the places they treasure, they tend to look after them well.

So my commitment is simple. I will keep working with the Duchy, the Town Council and residents to secure the best possible outcome.

If you would like to share your views, please do get in touch through any of the channels below. I always value hearing from you.

Facebook: Mel Stride MP X: @MelJStride Instagram: @melstridemp Website: www.melstridemp.com

Mel Stride

MP for Central Devon