New power-sharing agreement with Shropshire Council gathers pace as members sign Community Charter

A national pilot study launched in Market Drayton will test and develop long-term power-sharing agreements between Shropshire Council and the community, to ensure that local organisations and local people have the power to shape the places they live.

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Almost 20 local organisations have joined Shropshire Council to create the Market Drayton and Rural Parishes Community Covenant and last week they joined together to sign the Market Drayton and Rural Parishes Community Covenant Charter.

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As the first of its kind in England, this flexible neighbourhood-level arrangement brings local people, community organisations and local authorities together to share power and make decisions together. Covenant partners act not as agents of the local authority but as independent actors with distinct and valuable voices, expertise and skills. Sharing trust between the two.

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The national pilot has been organised by Charlotte Hollins, general manager of the Fordhall Community Land Initiative, the community-owned farm on the outskirts of Market Drayton.

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Charlotte has been part of the We’re Right Here campaign for the last twelve months, a campaign that has been calling government to introduce a Community Right to Shape Public Services within the new English Devolution Bill, and Community Covenants are the mechanism to which these new powers would be executed.

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The We’re Right Here campaign is led byeight campaign leaders (including Charlotte) and eight sector based organisations including Power to Change, Locality, Esmee Fairbairn, and New Local. They will be using the learning from the Market Drayton and Rural Parishes pilot within their discussions at Westminster, to bring in as much devolved power as possible to the new English Devolution Bill.

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Charlotte Hollins, General Manager said “I am extremely excited to be part of this pilot in Market Drayton. I have been met with nothing other than positive comments from Shropshire Council, who have described this pilot as a ‘gift’. It has been wonderful to see how positive our community have also been. The gift works both ways.

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“We have almost 20 groups now join our community covenant and sign the Charter agreement, including the churches, library, schools, sports groups, town and parish councils, the Ukrainian hub, Festival Drayton Centre, Market Drayton Community Enterprise, social groups, our local youth association and more. All these representatives share a voice for our local community from the rural parishes to the different groups in our town.” 

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Tim Manton, Market Drayton Town Councillor, Deputy Mayor and member of the Community Covenant said "The community is the very beating heart of a place, to be able to be part of something that enables our community to have more control and more decision-making power to shape their very future is a wonderful thing, to be working together with Shropshire Council means this is serious stuff! It's visionary and its ambitious and I'm proud to be a part of it"

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The first job of the Market Drayton and Rural Parishes Community Covenant will be to decide how and where a Community and Family Hub will be delivered within the town. Their first step was to write their own charter describing how they will work together and what their values will be. This charter is based on collaboration, sharing the voice of community, being inclusive, and being supportive of each other. With that in mind, the group plan to hold wider community consultation with the people of Market Drayton as the project continues.

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Gary Hoggarth, Manager of the Market Drayton Festival Drayton Centre and Covenant member said “We're absolutely delighted to be part of this innovative power sharing agreement in Market Drayton. It's a fantastic opportunity for collaboration between Shropshire Council and local leaders, and it reflects the community spirit that lies at the heart of our town. The Festival Drayton Centre has always championed partnership and progress, and we're excited about the positive impact this initiative will have for both residents and visitors alike."

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If anyone would like to follow progressor learn more about this project, please visit www.fordhallfarm.com/mdcovenant

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