The Charter For Communities
We believe in community rights – and that people are the solution, not the problem.
Our Charter gives communities both protections and opportunities to drive positive change in our local areas.
Write to your MP
In July 2025, The Government introduced the England Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, with an aim being to ‘give communities stronger tools to shape their local areas’. The Community Charter gives people and places the basic rights they need to shape local decisions, protect their environment, and build healthier, fairer communities.
Write to your MP to tell them you support the inclusion of the Community Charter in the Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
About the Charter for Communities
Communities across England face big challenges — from the climate crisis and poor housing to disconnection and division. Too often, decisions are made far away in Whitehall, leaving local voices unheard.
Our Community Charter recognises that people are already creating solutions — from community energy to housing projects, green spaces and local initiatives that bring people together. With the right support, these efforts can strengthen our health, wellbeing and democracy.
Why It Matters
• Communities are often treated as problems to manage, rather than partners in shaping the future.
• Local voices are sidelined as decision making is centralised.
• The government’s Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill fails to give people real power over their own places.
• Our Charter shifts the balance. It gives people the rights they need to protect where they live, influence decisions, and build thriving, connected communities.
The Seven Rights
The Charter draws on international law and existing models of good practice. All are credible, achievable and already recognised elsewhere — just not yet implemented in England.
1. A clean and healthy environment (UN human right, 2022)
2. A healthy home (drafted into UK legislation but not yet passed)
3. The right to play (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)
4. The right to grow food on public land (proposed in previous UK planning amendments)
5. The right to roam and swim (already law in Scotland)
6. A voice in local decisions (Aarhus Convention, now an EU directive)
7. The right to challenge decisions (in line with Aarhus principles and earlier UK proposals)
What’s Next
This Charter is an invitation to rethink how we work together — government and citizens, state and community. It builds on international conventions and proven ideas, but places people and places at the heart of decision-making.
By recognising these rights, we can unleash the energy of communities to create fairer, healthier and more hopeful futures.
This charter has been developed by people who care about who makes the decisions that affect the places we live. Find out more about Rights Community Action and sign up to our subscriber list here
For any queries, please email charter@rightscommunityaction.co.uk.
Signatures
It's so great to have a positive vision for what we want planning to do – rather than always defending it against the latest attack.
Dave PHaving read the White Paper I feel really angry at the removal of powers and participation from the local level. I'm glad to sign this charter
Rachel BComment on charter This clear statement on the democratic deficit is very important. Citizens are not parochial by-standers in the triple crisis of inequality-wellbeing-environment. To tackle these strategic problems the public needs to be engaged with law-making and development decisions at all tiers of government. This is necessary for democratic…
Lucy NWhat is happening at the moment is ill thought out and certainly not up for the needs of people living in a community and that allows us to tackle climate change. The system appears broken. I don't understand what is driving it.
Sarah WI am strongly opposed to the stripping away of what are already weak and inadequate powers for people and organisations to participate meaningfully in the planning process. These should instead be strengthened and extended to enable more democratic involvement and accountability.
Alan GPeople must be allowed to have a say at what is built in their areas. The number of people on housing waiting list grows longer by the day and there is an immediate need for more social housing to be built not less. Shared ownership is not an option for…
Edwina EI'm a former city councillor, and know from experience how residents feel when they don't have any control over what is build in their local community. The government's reforms go in the wrong direction on this front. This charter is an important way of demonstrating that there are many people…
Simeon JThe proposed changes to Planning Law are fundamentally undemocratic and an erosion of individual rights and freedoms. We must retain our rights to influence the communities and environment in which we live.
Tim TI fully support this charter.
Brian Cmental health is important and planning laws should be controlled by local people and local planning authorities. we will lose our green spaces and it keeps a open cheque book to build whatever anywhere. not all about money, health green spaces , decision making and more power should be given local…
sanjive m