All you need to know about Hillsborough as an asset of community value.
27/07/2021 - Update on the Hillsborough ACV Application
The Sheffield Wednesday Supporters' Trust are delighted to publish the nomination form and appendices to have Hillsborough football stadium and surrounding land designated as an Asset of Community Value after gaining permission from Sheffield City Council. You will note that the nomination form and appendices have been anonymized to ensure that the Supporters' Trust complies with GDPR requirements. The full application has been published below with the exception of Appendix 6, which we have refrained from publishing to protect the privacy of those submitting a supporter testimonial.
Asset of Community Value Application
In February 2021, the Sheffield Wednesday Supporters Trust balloted our members under the question:
'Should the SWFC Supporters' Trust make an application, and aim to secure, ACV status for Hillsborough Stadium?'
The result was a clear 'yes' vote.
Details of the results are below.
- Votes for 'yes' = 277 (96.2%)
- Votes for 'no' = 11 (3.8%)
- Turn out 51.3% (288/561)
We thank members for the backing of the proposal.
How can you help?
The Trust has been progressing the application for several weeks since the 20/21 season concluded speaking with local stakeholders and building a coalition of support for the bid behind the scenes. Our aim is to have the ACV bid submitted and accepted by Sheffield City Council in time for when the ‘charge’ is due on Hillsborough on the 30th September 2021. Advice from local councillors indicates that we will need to submit our application in the opening two weeks of July to achieve that aim.
The nomination form requires evidence that Hillsborough delivers social well-being to the local community of Hillsborough, and the wider region of the city of Sheffield.
One way you can help is to sign our petition which will be submitted alongside the nomination form in July.
Second, you might write a testimonial as to the value of Hillsborough as a community asset and its impact on social well-being of Sheffield. You can use our petition as inspiration for what you might include, but it would be great if you gave the testimonial a personal edge. Examples might include writing about the emotions of attending football matches, telling us about the importance of Hillsborough in meeting with family and friends, and the memories you have made in the stadium that will last a lifetime.
Please email your testimonial to enquiries@swfctrust.co.uk and we will include it in our application.
Q&A - Asset of Community Value (ACV)
What is an ACV? It is simply a label given to something (usually a building) that is seen to have value to a local community (examples libraries, parks, or football grounds)
Who decides whether somewhere is an ACV? It is applied for by a community organisation (in this case the SWFC Supporters' Trust) and decided upon by the council.
What happens if the Council say yes it is an ACV? There are various legal protections added to the site, perhaps the key one for Hillsborough is that status ensures the local community (Council and Trust) will be informed of any attempt to sell the asset by its owner.
What happens if the owner does want to sell Hillsborough? He/she can do so, but must let the Council know. The council can either say that the sale is fine, for example if it is being sold to someone who wants to continue using Hillsborough as a football stadium. They can also put a hold on the sale of up to six months (called a moratorium).
What happens if any sale is put on hold? Then the local community can decide whether it wants to bid for the stadium. There are various time frames related to this.
Is the aim of this process for the Trust or the community to buy the ground? No, it is very unlikely that the Trust or community would be able to raise the finance to buy the ground
So, what is the point? There are several reasons, but two stand-out.
- Transparency: An ACV means there must be openness from any owner of SWFC over the ownership of the ground. The council must be informed in advance of any potential sale, and in turn the Trust, local community and fanbase. The ACV has a symbolic status therefore of the importance of Hillsborough to fans and the community and means the asset is less likely to be lost to the local community.
- Community: The Trust hopes that there is a legacy from the ACV application in opening Hillsborough and it becoming a hub of the local community welcoming to local groups and projects throughout the week, rather than just available to fans at the weekend.
Will this make SWFC less attractive to a new owner/investor? The ACV is not a barrier to the sale / new investment into Sheffield Wednesday football club.
What are the next steps? The Trust's members voted in favour of the Trust applying for, and aiming to secure, ACV status. The Trust began assembling its application in May by clarifying some points with the council. In making our bid, we aim to gain the support of the club, politicians, the local community, and fanbase. If anything shows to us in that process that the application is wrong for SWFC, the community or fanbase, then we will return to our members and ask again. We are convinced so far that it is a positive step for all involved.
How will the petition be used in your application?
The petition will be used in Section C of the application to show community support for the bid to have Hillsborough designated an Asset of Community Value.
Where can I learn more? Please click here for a comprehensive list of Q&A regarding the process of applying for ACV status. Alternatively, feel free to email questions at enquiries@swfctrust.co.uk and we will try and answer. Even better, join the Trust!
Join The Trust