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
Our block of flats was recently purchased without residents being given the right of first refusal which we would have accepted. The new freeholder has already submitted 3 planning applications to build on the property and there has been very little we can do to prevent it. We had a very…
Laura BWe have the opportunity to build a better future after the pandemic – but with community participation essential – as the pandemic has shown the determination and resilience of communities to find positive ways forward to benefit everyone especially the most disadvantaged.
Ruth tWe live in a democracy. Why try to change this? Your children won't thank you!
Graciela SThe proposed reforms to the Planning system are the biggest challenge to democracy that are currently being put forward by this government. These reforms are rapidly heading towards even greater autocracy. The aims they are claiming to propound are spurious and meaningless and are purely included to attempt to give…
Susan SI am concerned that the environment will be pushed to the background as priority is given to commercial and housing applications. I am also concerned that social housing, affordable housing will not be prioritised. •I would like local people to make decisions. •I would like planning decisions that turned down…
Madeleine J C MThis is sadly a common struggle around Europe, and we should all be worried about it, especially now.
Stephan HIt’s appalling that democracy is being eroded but by bit and this is another worrying example of it
Sheila 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 mIt'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 PPlanning has to be local and democratic. I agree entirely with the Charter.
Mark S