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Community Facilities Unit

Community Facilities Unit. Milton Keynes Council’s Approach to: Community Asset Transfer (CAT) “Putting more control in the hands of local people”. Why Asset Transfers. Not a new way of working for MK Strong track record working with partners A variety of outsourced arrangements already

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Community Facilities Unit

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  1. Community Facilities Unit Milton Keynes Council’s Approach to: Community Asset Transfer (CAT) “Putting more control in the hands of local people”

  2. Why Asset Transfers • Not a new way of working for MK • Strong track record working with partners • A variety of outsourced arrangements already • Trusts; leases, management agreements, clubs, community interest, community groups, schools and parish/town councils • Empowers citizens, communities to design and deliver services • Local management responsibility • More say locally, running own facility to meet local need • CAT difference: promoting primarily the freehold opportunity for smaller local assets

  3. Organisational Transformation Programme • Council: radically reduced government funding, more enabling and smaller in future • CAT is part of 4th Strand of Alternative Methods of Service Delivery • Focus is on different ways of delivering services to both protect service delivery and deliver efficiencies • Key focus on asset transfers to parish/town councils, voluntary and community sector • OTP also considers Open Space management, Shared Services, Transport and Environmental Services

  4. Corporate Plan 2012 - 2016 • Reflects the Organisational Transformation Programme • Strong emphasis on supporting Civic Society • Outcomes supported by CAT include: • Being an exemplar for building and supporting new communities • Be satisfied with their area as a place to live • Experience choice and control • Strong leisure and cultural offer High quality open, green public spaces and buildings

  5. National Policy Context • May 2007: “Quirk Review Making Assets Work” (independent report for DCLG looked at barriers but also tremendous potential) “…optimising the use of public assets is not the primary objective: the over-riding goal is community empowerment”. • November 2011: “Localism Act” – Royal Assent (decentralisation/local control and choice/right to challenge) “…we want to pass significant new rights direct to communities and individuals, making it easier for them to get things done and achieve their ambitions for the place where they live.” • Catalyst for developing CAT Toolkit and Pilot

  6. CAT Development and evolving Localism Bill • Scoping the project under the MK Approach Framework: • Initial engagement • Gauging the interest • Researching best practice • Developing the Toolkit and Asset Register for consultation reflecting the Localism Bill • MKC leading the way - LGA interest • _____________________________________________________________________________ • 10th March Parishes Forum • 22nd June Bucks Local Councils Conference • 30th June Parishes expressions of interest invited • 5th July Partnerships and Growth Committee • 7th Sept Workshops with parish & town councils • 12th Sept Engagement of Community Matters (National Network) • 13th Sept Engagement of Community Action MK • 30th Sept Closure of expressions of interest

  7. CAT Development and evolving Localism Bill • 6th Oct Management committee workshops held • 28th Nov Workshop with members of MKCLIP (Local 3rd Sector Partnership) • 23rd Nov One Council communication on CAT and single Council contact point • 8tH Dec Parish Forum Agenda item • 21st Dec Communication and press release on 5 pilots • 6Th Dec Cabinet papers published including CAT papers • 17th Jan Draft Toolkit/Pilots approved by Cabinet for 12 weeks consultation

  8. What is Milton Keynes Council’s CAT? • A coordinated Council wide approach to all asset transfers • Focus on ‘built community infrastructure’ including the following assets: • Open Spaces • Bereavement Services • Play and Youth Centres • Libraries • Arts & Heritage • Leisure & Community • Housing properties Vision: “Our aim is to work with parishes/town/community councils and the voluntary/community sector to provide and support the delivery of effective local community assets and related services for the people of Milton Keynes.”

  9. Key Drivers • Operating in a constrained financial climate • Develop innovative solutions for the future and deliver efficiencies • Assets managed more efficiently and effectively at a local level rather than by the Council • Protect community access to assets regardless of who manages/owns (seamless transfer) • Opportunities to extend building use and access • Potential new organisations / joint ventures established • Ability to lever additional resources not available to MKC • Freehold value of the asset to organisation

  10. Key Drivers • Opportunity: NO closures if not taken up: “status quo” • MKC Legal capacity resourced to deliver • Community capacity better in some areas than others • Training and support being resourced • Some assets of better quality than others • Some facilities more viable therefore more attractive • Not open to commercial/profit making • Release of assets in tranches so manageable

  11. Assets for consideration • Major Council-wide scoping exercise undertaken • Built facility asset list: 365 (excluding schools) • Open Spaces: strategy to Cabinet April 2012 • Phase 1 largely freehold (39 properties) • Phase 2 strategic borough-wide significance /retention if not wanted in phase 1 / outsourced management (47) • Not for sale – commercial properties (166) • Out of scope – under contract / long term lease (33) • Under Review – as part of Council review (80) • Continued internal challenge regarding eligibility of transfer

  12. Toolkit Principles(1) Preference for organisations to be: • Strong track record and experience of delivering services (5yrs) • Locally run • Locally controlled • Non-profit distributing • Inclusive • Democratic • Each transfer on case-by-case basis. • Cost - MKC expects partners to meet their own legal / surveying costs to proceed with transfer • Community Protections - Clawback

  13. Toolkit Principles(2) • Constituted / Incorporated group • Credible business plan • Asset Assessment Stage 1 & Stage 2 • Fair, Open, Transparent process • Open to all eligible groups/organisations from voluntary/ community sector: • Parish and Town Councils, Registered Charities, Companies limited by guarantee, Community Interest Company (CIC)

  14. Pilots as a part of Consultation / Testing • 5 Pilots - to evaluate feasibility of CAT Toolkit. • Lessons-learnt published on Council’s webpage • Cross-section of arrangements e.g. management committees, lease deals, recent investment, • not by area- by interest (5 at a time) • Green Park Community Centre • Stony Stratford Library • Simpson Village Hall • Frank Moran Centre • Downs Barn Pavilion & Sports Ground

  15. Assessment Panel • Fair and open process - representatives will include: - MKC’s Property Services Manager - Council’s Senior Legal Services Officer - Business Support Officer HR (Mouchel) - Council’s Link Officer - Voluntary Representative nominated via MKCLIP - Ward and Parish Councillor Each representative will sign a form to say that no ‘conflict of interest’ arises from a forthcoming assessment

  16. Stages of CAT • Stage One Application (4 weeks proposed) – to determine if anything might derail asset transfer at a later date • Available to 5 pilots online (3 received so far) • Assessment of Stage One applications (2 weeks) if successful: • Stage Two Application draw up credible business plan (8 weeks) • Information provided at Stage Two (where available) such as site plans, legal docs, historical running costs, planning consent, maintenance plans, surveys etc. • Delegated Decision – final report recommending transfer to successful organisation and outline terms and conditions • If agreed ‘Yes’ then negotiate final terms

  17. Stages of CAT Stage 1 application (4 weeks) Stage 1 assessment (2 weeks) Stage 2 assessment (4 weeks) Stage 2 application (4 weeks) Delegated Decision (1 week) Transfer Y/N

  18. Future Timetable of CAT

  19. How to Get Involved • All details on line • Events at various locations in February & March 2012 - 150 road-show attendees and 316 comments so far) • Online: comments • Paper comments forms • Copies of all documents on web: • Cabinet Paper and toolkit • Asset Register • Lessons-learnt Pilot & Toolkit – reflect changes - Cabinet Member Decision - June 2012. • No transfers will occur until after the conclusion of the consultation and adoption of the refined toolkit.

  20. Over to you “Our aim is to work with parishes/town councils and the voluntary and community sector to provide and support the delivery of effective local community assets and related services for the people of Milton Keynes.” ANY QUESTIONS? http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/communityassettransfer

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