A regional vision
Across the North East, voluntary organisations, community groups and local authorities could create institutional-community partnerships to protect community assets that might otherwise be lost. By developing a supported, regional civic infrastructure model you can build in the following support mechanisms:
- A set of regional stewardship standards
- Legal templates
- A governance toolkit
- Stewardship accreditation
- Pooled repair funds
- An anchor institution compact
- Peer and stewardship support network
This model combines
Community legitimacy and democratic control
Distributing ownership and voting power to everyone impacted by an organisation, including workers, consumers and local communities.
Institutional capacity and capital
Expanding traditional corporate finance and governance so that power, ownership, and wealth are shared equitably among all key contributors rather than just financial investors.
Multi-stakeholder ownership
creating a cooperative governance and economic structure where an organisation is jointly owned and controlled by the distinct groups who create its value—typically founders, workers, users, and supporters.
Asset protection
Constitutional and financial mechanisms used to prevent the private appropriation of enterprise wealth and safeguard workplace democracy.
Shared accountability
Governance, decision-making, and organisational stewardship are democratically distributed among all primary stakeholder groups—founders, workers (labour), users (customers), and investors—rather than concentrated in a top-down management hierarchy.
While preventing either:
- communities being abandoned with unsustainable liabilities, or
- institutions absorbing and controlling community spaces.
A Practical Example
Let's think about a former library or community centre in the North East. Currently:
- the building is deteriorating
- the council cannot maintain it
- a local voluntary organisation wants to run services
- NHS partners want prevention space
- funders want measurable outcomes
- residents fear losing community control
- nobody can carry the long-term risk alone
Instead of a standard asset transfer, a Shared Stewardship Partnership is created.
1. Structure
A Community Benefit Society (BenCom) or CIC/CLG with asset lock holds the long lease or freehold.
This body exists solely to:
- protect the asset
- safeguard mission
- steward long-term value
It does not necessarily run day-to-day services.
2. Multi-stakeholder membership (FairShares influence)
Membership is split into stakeholder classes. For example:
| Stakeholder Group | Role |
| Residents / Users | Define community priorities and hold democratic power |
| Workers / Staff | Provide operational expertise |
| Local VCSE orgs | Delivery partners |
| Anchor Institutions | NHS, University, housing association, council |
| Investors / Funders | Social investment / community shares |
| Founders / Stewards | Early initiators and guardians |
The model recognises that value is created by many different actors, therefore governance should reflect multiple forms of contribution, not just capital ownership.
3. Governance in practice
| Seats | Allocation |
| 4 | Resident or community members |
| 2 | VCSE or service delivery partners |
| 2 | Anchor institutions |
| 1 | Workforce representative |
| 1 | Independent chair |
Example board structure. Reserved matters would require broader community approval. For example:
- sale of building
- change of mission
- long lease disposal
- major borrowing
- changes to governance
- privatisation/commercialisation
4. Division of responsibilities
| Community responsibilities | Institutional responsibilities | Shared responsibilities |
| Vision | Capital investment | Financial sustainability |
| Local accountability | Structural repairs | Governance |
| Programming priorities | Compliance support | Outcomes reporting |
| Participation | Procurement navigation | Strategic planning |
| Stewardship culture | Commissioning relationships | Neighbourhood impact |
| Social value generation | Legal / property expertise |
5. Ownership / Governance
| Function | Held by |
| Freehold | Community asset trust |
| Long-term stewardship | Hybrid BenCom/CIC |
| Service contracts | VCSE organisations |
| Capital repair fund | Local authority and anchors |
| Governance | Multi-stakeholder board |
| Community accountability | Resident assembly / forum |
A note about the authors
This resource was created by Natasha Almond and Lucy Thurley, Senior Programme Coordinators at Local Trust.
Natasha Almond
Facilitator and systems change practitioner
Natasha is a systems change practitioner, programme leader and social entrepreneur with over 30 years’ experience working across community development, public services, participatory funding and resident-led change.
She currently works with Local Trust supporting Big Local partnerships across the North East, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Humberside, helping communities strengthen local leadership, participation and long-term neighbourhood transformation.
Lucy Thurley
Community Group Facilitator & Engagement Advisor
Lucy works as Senior Programme Coordinator (areas) for Local Trust.
Lucy has worked with and for communities for over 20 years and has a background in creative practice. She has created high impact projects that have local relevance, and is committed to collaborative practices that democratically involve a broad range of voices and stakeholders in decision making.
