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
Section 106 clauses are the only way to build social conditions into the development process, sitting employment and training targets for local labour and diverse groups in society, as well as equality objectives. These cannot be replaced by an Infrastructure levy.
Linda CThe Planning rules must be strengthened so that housing developments are adequately served by Public Transport. If this requires the provision of new railway stations, or bus routes, then these must be in position before the development starts – the people do not have to automatically own a car to…
Roger BWe desparately need to rennovate existing empty homes/buildings, build sustainably where needed (see Norwich's Award WInning, council owned, Goldsmith Street development) and protect our rapidly diminishing wildlife. We are the 29th least biodiverse nation in the world.
Victoria FThis Charter not only accurately represents my strong views on this subject but also accurately highlights the anger and frustration resulting from the helplessness of being powerless to influence what happens in my own community.
Chris AWe need really-secure and really-affordable rented housing, and therefore need to be able to participate and to object where necessary within the planning system to resist developer priorities. Say NO to No say on planning.
Paul 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 tWhat 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 WIt is vitally important that planning serves a purpose of ensuring that we live in decent, well planned areas that are sustainable. It is equally important that members of the public can have input into the planning system, and be able to comment upon and influence, the decisions on planning…
Paul SI am very worried that projects can take place more easily if the land is not green belt. Some areas may have become far more green over the years and this will not be taken into consideration. We really need to conserve the wild spaces that we have.
Elisabeth JHaving 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 B