Local Works

Local Works is the campaign coalition behind the Sustainable Communities Bill. The Sustainable Communities Bill is a piece of legislation that, if made law, will help to reverse the trend called 'Ghost Town Britain'. Ghost Town Britain refers to the ongoing community decline through loss of local facilities and services including amongst others: shops, markets, post offices, pubs, banks and health centres. The term 'Ghost Town Britain' was initially coined by the British think-tank New Economics Foundation in two reports: Ghost Town Britain (2002) and Clone Town Britain (2004).

Supporters
The wide ramifications of sustained community decline have led a large and very wide cross section of groups, national organisations and individuals to support the campaign to get the Sustainable Communities Bill made law. To date (as on 23rd Jan 2007) the Local Works campaign has the following supporters:


 * 20,000 individual supporters


 * 80 National Supporting Organisations


 * 1000 Councils


 * 365 MPs passed motions of support for the Bill by signing an Early Day Motion in the last parliamentary session (this was over half the House of Commons)

National Supporting Organisations


 * ACS - Association of Convenience Stores


 * ACT - Active Citizens Transform


 * Age Concern


 * BASSAC - British Assn. of Settlements and Social Action Centres


 * Bio-power UK


 * BIFGA - British Independent Fruit Growers Association


 * Campaign for Community Banking


 * Caritas–Social Action The voice of the Catholic Church on social justice


 * CAMRA - The Campaign for Real Ale


 * Centre for Creative Communities


 * Charter 88


 * Christian Ecology Link


 * CLA – Country Land and Business Association


 * Community Composting Network


 * Community Matters - the National Federation of Community Organisations


 * The Co-operative Group


 * Community Recycling Network


 * CTC - National Cyclists' Organisation


 * Disability Rights Commission


 * The Ecologist Magazine


 * Ecology Building Society


 * Ethical Property Company


 * Farmers Union of Wales


 * Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens


 * Food Commission


 * Food Justice


 * Food Links UK


 * FARM - the independent voice of farmers


 * FARMA - National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association


 * Friends of the Earth


 * Gaia Partnership


 * HDRA - Garden Organic (formerly HDRA)


 * Green Lib Dems


 * The Green Party


 * Help the Aged


 * Life Style Movement


 * Living Streets


 * LGIU - Local Government Information Unit


 * London Wildlife Trust


 * NAFM - National Assocaition of Farmers' Markets


 * NAHS - National Association of Health Stores


 * NALC - National Association of Local Councils


 * National Association of Small Schools


 * NFUW - National Farmers' Union of Wales


 * NFRN - National Federation of Retail Newsagents


 * NFSP - National Federtaion of Sub-Postmasters


 * National Federation of Women's Institutes


 * NPA - National Pharmacy Association


 * NPC - National Pensioners Convention


 * nef - new economics foundation


 * NPN - New Politics Network


 * PAN - Pesticide Action Network


 * Postwatch


 * PCSU - Public and Commercial Services Union


 * Pub is the Hub


 * Publican


 * Resurgence Magazine


 * Rural Shops Alliance


 * SERA


 * Shelter


 * SIBA - Society of Independent Brewers


 * Small and Family Farmers' Association


 * Soil Association


 * Sustain - the alliance for better food and farming


 * Sustainable Energy Partnership


 * Tory Green Initiative


 * Transport 2000


 * Triodos Bank


 * UKVillages


 * UNISON


 * ViRSA - Village Retail Services Association


 * Votebug.com - the online democratic system


 * Walter Segal Self Build Trust


 * Womens' Environment Network


 * Wholesome Food Association


 * Young Greens