What is the Right to Challenge?
The Council will hold 'Challenge Rounds' every year to enable relevant groups to submit Challenges to the Council, to take on the running of local services. If a Challenge is accepted, it will trigger an open procurement process for any bidder to win the contract to deliver the service.
What are the implications of using the Right to Challenge?
It should be noted that using this Right does not guarantee local service delivery. The Challenge process has to allow private companies to bid alongside community groups to run Council services.
Who can use the Right to Challenge?
- Voluntary or community organisations
- Charities
- Town and Parish Councils
- Two or more employees of the District/Borough Council.
What council services can be challenged?
Currently, all the Council's services can be challenged by the above bodies, under the Right to Challenge but by law, some services have to be carried out by the District/Borough Council, for example decisions on planning applications.
In this case, the processing of the applications could be challenged, but the decision-making would have to remain a function of the District/Borough Council.
Interested in using the Right to Challenge?
How to use the Community Right to Challenge
If you are thinking about submitting an expression of interest we would welcome an informal approach in the first instance, please contact the Community Team: community@swdevon.gov.uk.