The Community Asset Transfer Officer presented an update on the community asset transfers (CATs) of playing fields and park pavilions to Town and Community Councils (T&CCs) and/or sports clubs under self-management arrangements. He also reported on proposals to support the improvement and development of playing fields and park pavilions post transfer to ensure that facilities became more sustainable.  The measures outlined were also designed to stimulate the Council’s CAT Programme and ensure that the expectations of sports clubs were appropriately managed and transfers progressed and completed in a timely manner in support of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS).

The CAT Officer reported that the provisional settlement for the Council showed an overall budget increase 4.7%, compared to the -1.5% “most likely” assumption contained within the Council’s original MTFS for 2020-21.  He stated that the provisional settlement did not recognise a number of new pressures faced by the Council, however, it provided an opportunity for savings previously identified in the MTFS to be re-considered in line with the priorities of the Council.  He also stated that the Final MTFS saving of £300,000 for playing fields and parks has been deferred until the 2021-22 financial year to reflect the level of ongoing CAT activity providing sports clubs and the Council with more time to complete transfers in an orderly manner; and to allow the Council to engage more effectively with the governing bodies of sport and where possible developing joint strategies and more partnership working.  He informed Cabinet that initial positive meetings have already been held with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), Football Association of Wales (FAW) Trust and Cricket Wales.

He also reported that the situation beyond April 2021 would need to be re-assessed by the Council in December 2020 to take account of the financial settlement from Welsh Government for 2021-22 and the level of CAT activity particularly the number of completed transfers.  He stated that in view of current level interest in CAT from T&CCs and local sports clubs, the increased resources intended to be deployed by the Council to support CAT, the positive dialogue with the relevant Governing Bodies, and the enhanced packages of support that are now in place, the process of completing CAT’s will accelerate significantly over the next year.  He highlighted the level of CAT activity as at 31 January 2020 and the progress of CATs being made with Town and Community Councils and sports clubs.

The CAT Officer reported that proposals for additional staff resources have been outlined in a business case that will be submitted to the Corporate Management Board shortly and additional funding has been identified and earmarked provisionally in the Change Management Fund to support this application for more resource that will ensure that the pace of CAT is accelerated.  He stated that the “Team” approach favoured by the CAT Task & Finish Group whereby multi-disciplinary staff from different sections of the Council work together has already commenced with the formation of a CAT Operations Group.

The CAT Officer also reported that the Sports Pavilion Fund has been re-designated as the CAT Fund and the scope for funding widened under the MTFS 2019-20 to 2022-23 in February 2019 to also include building works on other Council facilities such as community centres and public toilets, to support the CAT process.  This is to ensure that as many buildings as possible can be kept open and provide long-term community benefits. He stated that to date, six projects have been allocated funding from this source totalling up to £340,520.  He informed Cabinet that currently a sum of £340,520 is already committed from the £1 million CAT Fund, while he had liaised with Town and Community Councils on funding under the Capital Grant Scheme.  He stated that applications to the T&CC Capital grant scheme 2020-21 were made available in January 2020 with the deadline for receipt of completed applications of 28 February 2020 being established. 

The CAT Officer reported that a Bridgend Sports Team Support Fund (BSTSF) will be established to encourage participation in sport, which requires annual funding of £75k being made available in 2020-21 and 2021-22.  He outlined initiatives aimed at improving green spaces pre and post CAT and the scope of the CAT fund would be extended to include the maintenance of playing fields.  He also outlined the transitional support for bowls facilities, where a one-off grant of £5,000 would be made available for each bowls facility.  He reported on the strategy for Newbridge Fields which may require alternative management and operational arrangements and Maesteg Welfare Park and Aberfields which are also used extensively as public parks. 

The Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help welcomed the process to speed up CATs and commented on the need to find additional resource for CAT.  The Cabinet Member Wellbeing and Future Generations commented that the updated Equality Impact Assessment now helped protected groups and that the support fund and TCC fund would improve assets.  The Leader commented that clubs would be eligible to access funding through their governing bodies to improve facilities which would not be accessible to the Council.   

The Chief Executive informed Cabinet that the direction of travel remained the same and there was a need to ensure a sufficient level of support for self-management and although there was a better than anticipated settlement, the savings had only been deferred for a year.  He hoped there would be a significant level of interest in CAT.

RESOLVED:           That Cabinetapproved:

• that Council should regularly monitor the level of CAT engagement with T&CCs and sports clubs and associated progress on a case for case basis to ensure that this key priority was being achieved in line with the requirements of the MTFS.
• that the principle of replenishment of the CAT Fund as and when necessary as CAT’s were completed be agreed, subject to known commitments, and there being sufficient capital resources and the approval of Council through quarterly capital reporting.
• the creation of the Bridgend Sports Team Support Fund for an initial 2-year period, to be reviewed prior to the 2022-23 financial year and informed by the level of take up and the success of the Council’s CAT policy for playing fields and parks pavilions.
• extending the scope of the CAT Fund to include pitch and drainage improvements and pitch equipment grants.
• commissioning of pitch condition and drainage surveys.

the principle of providing transitional funding to facilitate the self-management of bowls greens by 30 September 2020, subject to the establishment of an earmarked reserve for this purpose.