Community Asset Transfer
Related information
Introduction
Community Asset Transfer (CAT) is the transfer of land, buildings or structures (assets) owned by a public body to community/voluntary groups or social enterprises. That group or organisation then becomes responsible for running, managing, and maintaining it, including all the associated costs.
Local people are often best placed to manage community facilities in their area. They already make extensive use of these assets and their local knowledge and hands-on management often results in better value-for-money. Community organisations also use volunteers and take great pride in their local area.
Managing these facilities helps to empower local communities and can bring opportunities for greater independence and financial sustainability. Under community control many of these vital facilities will be able to gain a new lease of life. Community groups running them will be able to access funding and resources not available to the council, allowing them to invest and improve what they are able to offer to local people.
We are fully committed to using our assets to form long-term partnerships with suitable third sector organisations, in order to create stronger, more cohesive and more sustainable communities.
Why are we doing this?
We want to work imaginatively with local communities to look at alternative and innovative ways of providing some of our community based services – combining the ‘soft’ assets community groups bring in terms of knowledge, skills and volunteer time, and the ‘hard’ assets the Council can offer, including buildings and playing fields.
Eligibility
Each organisation wishing to apply for CAT needs to meet the following criteria:
- Be a charitable or not-for-private-profit organisation, for example a registered charity, company limited by guarantee with charitable status, Community Interest Company (CIC), a co-operative or community benefit Industrial & Provident Society with an asset lock.
- Generate social, economic or environmental benefits which directly benefit the people of North Lincolnshire.
- Benefit as wide and diverse a range of local people as possible.
- Have robust systems including a constitution, governance and policies.
- Have the capacity to manage the asset and have directors or committee members who have the necessary experience and skill.
- Demonstrate community engagement and deliver community benefit outcomes
- Demonstrate community sustainability through income generation, social enterprise and the hiring of space and facilities.
Process
Each request for Community Asset Transfer is considered on the basis of information within the Application together with a Business Case which will be used to assist the council in assessing the financial and operational viability of the proposal. Full details can be found in Community Asset Transfer Policy.
Support
We can provide support to help you develop your ideas, assess your ‘readiness’ for asset transfer and support you through the various stages of the process.
- Asset Transfer Toolkit
- Quick guide to Community Asset Transfer
Renewing existing community leases
We have also refreshed leasing arrangements when a lease expires.
We want to encourage and support existing organisations who lease community assets to continue with the valuable services they are providing in their communities. However, we have a duty to ensure that these organisations are still ‘fit for purpose’ and the services being delivered are reflecting community needs and are accessible for local people.
All organisations who wish to renew existing leases will need to complete a health check. This will assess the organisations current and future ability and evidence of its contribution to the council’s outcomes of Safe, Well, Prosperous and Connected.