Community Land Trust

Upper Culm Community Land Trust

The Parishes of Hemyock and Clayhidon have come together to form a Community Land Trust (CLT) under the chairmanship of Heather Stallard. The CLT was officially set up on 31st March 2012 as a Community Benefit Society, registered with the Financial Services Authority. CLTs are not-for-profit organisations set up by local people to help improve or protect their village or neighbourhood. Run by volunteers, the CLT can develop housing or other assets at permanently affordable levels for long-term community benefit. A CLT does this in three ways:

• by owning, managing and developing things such as land, homes, shops, pubs, allotments and even schools, all at cost price with no profit margin on top;
• by holding these things in trust so that they are affordable and available for future generations;
• by being accountable to local people.

The Upper Culm CLT's assets are kept for the benefit of the community in perpetuity.

CLTs are democratic; their membership being open to all members of the village or neighbourhood. Benefits of membership include invitations to CLT meetings, the chance once a year to vote on a Board of Directors, access to newsletters and other communications and the opportunity to participate in more specialist working groups to use your skills to support the future of our community.