THE Stag Hunt Inn in Ponsanooth sits right in the middle of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. It has been a meeting place for neighbours, families and local groups since the early 1800s, with close links to the old Kennall Vale gunpowder works.

Recently, The Stag was put up for sale and, as the village’s only pub, some of the residents have been determined to buy the freehold themselves, to protect and keep it going as a community asset, alongside the village’s thriving shop. But the cost of doing that is often a huge barrier, making purchases like this difficult.

Across the country, more communities are stepping in to take ownership of places that matter to them, from pubs to sports clubs and youth centres. Many of these projects are flourishing, but too often it has been against the odds. Over the past decade, thousands of valued local assets have closed, leaving big gaps in community life.

That is why the Government’s recently announced £61-million Community Right to Buy Fund is so important. It is there to help communities step in and save local places at risk of being closed, sold off, converted or demolished.

These places matter; they are where people connect, organise, celebrate and support each other, and they help bring communities together through good times and tough ones. Here in Truro and Falmouth, I see how important this is. I often hear from constituents who want to protect or revive much‑loved local assets, like The Stag in Ponsanooth. And we’ve already got some brilliant examples of what can be achieved, like The Ship Inn at Portloe, where community ownership has kept the pub running and drinks and food affordable.

New Community Right to Buy powers in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will give these groups more time to get organised, stronger rights, and a better chance of success. The £61-million will be targeted at areas that have historically missed out on investment, making ownership a more realistic option for communities that might otherwise struggle. It is part of a wider shift of power from Westminster and back into local hands.

The Co‑operative Party has been campaigning for a stronger Community Right to Buy for over a decade, and these changes deliver on that ambition by combining funding with practical powers. This means that when valued assets come up for sale local people have a real opportunity to keep them. The Co-operative Party has a number of policies at the heart of this Labour Government. From the Local Power Plan which sets aside £1-billion for local and community energy projects to doubling the number of co-ops in the country. Owned by their members, co-operatives are a way that people can have a real stake in their housing, energy, local businesses.

Across Cornwall, we already have some strong examples of community ownership, and I want to see more. At its heart, this is all about ownership: who has the power, who makes the decisions, and who benefits.