2. Community Asset Transfer
• The definition of Community Asset Transfer (CAT) is:
“The transfer of land or buildings from the council’s freehold
ownership into the stewardship and/or ownership of voluntary
and community sector organisations.”
3. BACKGROUND
• ‘Making Assets Work - Quirk Review 2007’ identified
the benefits of local groups owning or managing
community buildings
• Localism Act 2011 put the emphasis on devolving
power and services to local communities
• Dudley’s Community Centres Review 2011 has
identified the need for new ways of managing local
community centres in the future
• Cabinet Report Sept 2011 agreed a recommendation
to develop the Asset Transfer Policy
4. PROCESS IN DEVELOPING THE POLICY
• Quirke Report also recommended that Local
Authorities should develop their own
Community Asset Transfer Policy
• A Policy draft was put together with the support
of the Asset Transfer Unit (Locality)
• The Draft Policy was circulated amongst
internal partners within DMBC and external
partners in the voluntary sector for comment
• Final Draft was sent to cabinet for approval in
February 2013
5. Asset Transfer Process
• Local group identifies a building / piece of land that
they are interested in taking on or defines their
needs in terms of space, facilities etc
• They complete an Expression of Interest form and
send to the single point of contact (SPC) within the
Authority
• The SPC then speaks to the Directorate
responsible for the asset to see if they are willing to
go down the CAT route
• It will also be referred to the corporate property
group where a decision will be taken if the asset is
classed as being of ‘higher’ or ‘lower’ value
6. Asset Transfer Process cont
• The group is sent a copy of the ‘how to’ guide and
they will be asked to prepare a business case
• The process is slightly different for assets of ‘higher’
or ‘lower’ value
• The business case will highlight the nature of the
activities planned, financial projections and benefits
to the wider community
• This will be shared with the Directorate responsible
for the asset as well as the Corporate Property group
• The final decision will be taken by the Head of Legal
and the Cabinet Member for Human Resources, Law
and Governance
7. It is important to remember
• Its is different to Community Right to Bid under
the Localism Act
• It is a voluntary process between the local
authority and the community organisations
• It only covers Council assets i.e. building / land
owned by DMBC
8. Progress so far
• Policy was agreed at Cabinet in February 2013
• The website page was developed on the DMBC
site and went live in May 2013
• Up to date there has been 23 formal expression
of interests as well as a number of informal
enquiries
• These cover a wide range of buildings, land and
include groups with no specific assets in mind
• 3 Community Asset Transfer have been
approved in principal with others in the pipeline
9. Local Example-Lye & Wollescote Chapel
• Listed building in a state of
disrepair owned by Dudley
Council
• West Midlands Historic
Buildings Trust have stepped in
to save the building
• Heritage Lottery Funding now
secured
• Deed of ownership now signed
over to the Trust as of 31st
March 2014
10. Local Example - Huntingtree Sons of Rest, Wall Well
• Former Sons of Rest Building
declared Surplus to requirements
by Dudley Council
• Local residents were concerned
about the loss of local historic
buildings
• Hasbury Community Association
were formed as a result and the
CAT option was explored and
business case put together
• CAT was approved in April 2014
