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
Having 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 BDecisions that affect the community should be made by that community. Considerations of climate change, sustainability, infrastructure, green spaces and the environment should take priority.
Sarah Bmental 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 mThe new planning proposals will be a developers charter. The planning regulations as they stand can and are being manipulated to disempower at a neighbourhood level. The GMSF has been used by Rochdale council to bulldoze through proposals which have nothing to do with the principles of the GMSF but…
Tim OThis just makes sense!!
Lizzie BThirty years campaigning in King's Cross on planning issues (1983 to 2014) taught me the importance of local input. Islington Council (where I lived) was very good by and large at involving and respecting local people's input, Camden Council less so. With Islington's support we were able first to defeat the plan…
Diana SThe right to a decent environment in all its forms is basic and fundamental, as is the right to have a say over how that environment is used. We should see this as a common treasury for all – not a means of making profits for a few.
Neil DI'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 JWe already live in the one of the most centralised systems in the modern world. To take away local involvement in planning decisions make this even worse. These decisions should be left with local communities and power should not be handed to developers and Westminster. We have already seen how…
Charles Haward SWhat 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 W