The Community Right to Challenge was established by the 2011 Localism Act and came into force in June 2012. The right allows voluntary and community groups, charities, parish councils, local and fire and rescue authority staff to bid to run council services where they believe they can do so differently and better.
Groups, classed as ‘relevant bodies’, can submit a written expression of interest to us to bid to run one or more of our services. Relevant bodies include:
We will consider and respond to expressions of interest. If we accept an expression of interest, we will then carry out a procurement exercise for that service. The challenging body and other interested parties can bid for the contract to run that service. The successful bidder will take over delivery of the service.
Arrangements for responding to expressions of interest under the Community Right to Challenge are set out below: