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Empowerment and Asset Transfer – the national perspective

Empowerment and Asset Transfer – the national perspective. Charles Woodd Community Resource Division. What is asset transfer?. The transfer of ownership of management of land or buildings from a local authority (or other public body) to a third sector organisation…

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Empowerment and Asset Transfer – the national perspective

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  1. Empowerment and Asset Transfer – the national perspective Charles Woodd Community Resource Division

  2. What is asset transfer? • The transfer of ownership of management of land or buildings from a local authority (or other public body) to a third sector organisation… • usually at a discounted price… • often ‘off’ the market eg to allow time for transfer to be implemented successfully… • on a spectrum of tenure from a management agreement to freehold transfer

  3. What’s in it for Government? • “increase the number of people engaged in in the running and ownership of local services and assets” - Communities in control: real people, real power • “the overriding goal is community empowerment” - Quirk Review of Community Management and Ownership of Public Assets • Commitment to a thriving third sector through “Community buildings, accessible to the whole community” - Third Sector Review

  4. What’s in it for local authorities? • Increase in feelings of influence locally (NI4) • More effective use of assets – better vfm • More targeted services • Improved environment for a thriving third sector (NI7) • Attracting additional resources to the area • Improved cohesion and sense of belonging (NI1 and NI2)

  5. What’s in it for communities? • Preserving iconic buildings and local facilities • Generating independent income to support community activity • Creating jobs and wealth locally • Strengthening community ‘voice’ and cohesion locally • Developing strong, stable independent community anchor organisations which can deliver on local needs, and support smaller local groups to thrive

  6. What’s the context? • Total Place/Total Capital and Assets – local public bodies working together to streamline asset portfolios, to achieve efficiencies and improve services • Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) – Treasury targets for savings from public sector disposals of assets • Government interest in broadening ‘ownership’ eg independent Commission on Ownership

  7. What’s the choice? (1) • When considering surplus or underused assets, local authorities have a choice: • Either dispose commercially and use the money to pay for other services • Or transfer the asset at a discount in order to realise social benefits in terms of services provided, savings generated, other priorities advanced • But is it that straightforward?

  8. What’s the choice? (2) • No, experience shows it’s not always straightforward… • Some assets are not very disposable – listed, expensive to refurbish, subject to restrictions on use, in the wrong place • Transfer to community governance can unlock additional funds for refurbishment • Some iconic buildings have strong community support, leading to reputational risk if offered on the open market

  9. What are the risks of asset transfer? (1) • Receiving organisations don’t have the capacity/skills to take on and develop the asset, leading to threat of failure, insufficient use • Assets are ‘captured’ by single interest groups and not used in the public interest, leading to local resentment, under-utilisation, threat of misappropriation

  10. What are the risks of asset transfer? (2) • Adequate funding is not available to develop and maintain the asset • Transferring body lacks the capacity or experience to support the transfer fully • The conditions for transfer are too prescriptive eg imposing a ‘one size fits all’ model, discouraging local innovation, restricting opportunity for enterprise leading to self-sufficiency

  11. How can the risks be mitigated? (1) • Expert advice available from the Asset Transfer Unit – www.atu.org.uk • Tailored consultancy and access to shared learning through Advancing Assets/ATU • Specialist support from national networks: DTA, ACRE, Community Matters, Architectural Heritage Fund, etc • Guidance from RICS leaflets and Managing risks in asset transfer (CLG, 2008)

  12. How can the risks be mitigated? (2) • Funding – particularly Communitybuilders Fund www.communitybuildersfund.org • Contact for other possible funding opportunities - www.socialinvestmentbusiness.org • Community enterprises set up as IPSs can issue community shares – raising funds and broadening spread of community ownership • Exploration of innovative ideas for asset-owning intermediaries

  13. Contact • Charles Woodd • Community Development Team Leader • Communities and Local Government • charles.woodd@communities.gsi.gov.uk • Tel: 030 3444 2009

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