Invitees:

Cllr C Reeves, Cabinet Member – Communities

Mark Shephard, Corporate Director – Communities

Andrew Hobbs, Group Manager Street Works

Carly McCreesh, Community Asset Transfer Officer

The Corporate Director Communities reported on the progress made on the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) programme since its acceleration in November 2015.  As a result of significant budgetary constraints there was a need to explore alternative models of service delivery.  He stated that a Community Asset Transfer Officer came into post in November 2015 and to date; the majority of queries and interest had been received from sports clubs and associations in relation to the self-management of pavilions and playing fields.  He stated there is a robust process in place to test an organisation’s capacity to self-manage facilities. 

The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that the Rural Development Programme had commissioned a report from the Wales Cooperative Centre on the Community Asset Transfer Programme which identified 10 recommendations for the Council to consider.  He highlighted the key barriers identified which hindered the progress of the CAT process.  He also highlighted the alternative options to CAT. 

The Committee referred to the recent success of the Wales national football team at the recent Euros tournament and asked whether there would be the potential of extra funding and sponsorship for football due to the likely increase in youngsters playing football.  The Committee also questioned what steps the Council proposed to take to protect pavilions and playing fields from falling out of use.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that officers are acutely aware of the potential that the transfer of ownership of facilities could preclude some facilities from being used by the public.  He stated that this would be mitigated by the placing of restrictive covenants and clauses into agreements so that the facilities the subject of a CAT remains in the public domain.  He stated there was a balance which needed to be struck with clubs which allowed the general public to join clubs and participate and to remain to have access to facilities.  The CAT Officer informed the Committee that the report commissioned by the RDP had identified the need for clubs who take on the management of facilities to diversify.  She stated that appropriate covenants will be inserted in to the documentation to transfer facilities which protect existing users but at the same time allowing clubs to develop facilities enabling them to grow both on and off the field. 

The Committee referred to the recommendations made in the report commissioned by the RDP and given that no assets had yet been transferred to clubs in Bridgend and that only 4 CATs had successfully taken place in Blaenau Gwent Council questioned whether there is an appetite for CAT amongst clubs.  The Committee also questioned how the CAT process fitted in with the Medium Term Financial Strategy and are alternative options to CAT being looked at.  The Committee also questioned the reasoning behind CAT being pursued when the outcome of the Parks Strategic Review was not known and requested that the CAT process be halted.  The CAT Officer informed the Committee that officers had visited Blaenau Gwent Council who had acted as mentors in the CAT process and had shared their experiences in getting CATs to a conclusion.  Blaenau Gwent Council had approached CAT on the basis of full cost recovery, which would not be the approach in Bridgend.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that carrying on in the same way would lead to financial pressures.  He stated that some clubs are keen on the CAT process and it was to the advantage of the Council to progress CAT applications.  He informed the Committee that there could be an issue with insufficient numbers of clubs wishing to pursue a CAT.  He stated that the CAT Officer had commissioned the Wales Cooperative Centre to assist clubs due to a lack of capacity and knowledge within some clubs.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that CAT links to the parks review which when complete will define the element of savings needed which may act as a catalyst for CAT applications to be pursued.  The Skills and Sustainable Development Manager informed the Committee that officers have the experience in making the third sector successful and have provided support to clubs with compiling business plans where Blaenau Gwent has not done so. 

Concern was expressed by the Committee that questions raised by clubs in relation to the potential closure of facilities had not been answered.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that the financial settlement had dictated that savings have to be made, however a decision has not been taken as to which facilities may have to close.  He highlighted the example of clubs in Pencoed which have taken the initiative in pursuing CAT.  He also informed the Committee that a number of organisations have submitted expressions of interest in pursuing CAT.  The Skills and Sustainable Development Manager informed the Committee that the Wales Cooperative had spoken to all clubs and that the next step is to work on the 10 recommendations and to commission support for the clubs. 

The Committee expressed concern that pursuing CAT would lead to a lack of control, governance and accountability in the management of facilities.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that the CAT Officer is an internal co-ordinating resource and who ensures appropriate governance arrangements are in place.  He stated that the CAT Officer does not have the capacity to undertake commissioning and to prepare business plans for clubs.  It was not in the interests of the Council to transfer assets at will.  He stated that the Council would be interested in pursuing a model of CAT with Town and Community Councils.  He also stated that the Council would place covenants on CATs in order to exercise a level of influence and control as the Council no longer had the resources to manage the facilities itself. 

The Committee expressed concern at how the third sector would give sound business advice when the Council had those skill sets.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that the Wales Cooperative are expert in providing advice and stated that the internal resource for supporting clubs and managing parks had been severely diminished due to financial constraints.  He stated that the process of CAT was about finding alternative ways of preserving community services.  The Cabinet Member Communities informed the Committee that as large swathes of the budget, namely statutory services are ring-fenced from cuts, which had resulted in cuts being made to the Communities Directorate.  Governance arrangements are being put in place in order to make CAT as successful as possible.  The Head of Neighbourhood Services informed the Committee that the service had been required to make budget reductions of £470k with the loss of several experienced members of staff, which had not affected the service given to clubs.  The Skills and Sustainable Development Manager informed the Committee that there would be a competitive tender process undertaken with the third sector prior to any commissioning.  She stated that the team had experience of sourcing the best support for working with the third sector.  The CAT Officer explained the CAT process in that clubs would submit expressions of interest where she would carry out a due diligence process.  She stated that 4 or 5 clubs are at the business planning stage. 

The Committee commented that some Town and Community Councils already have responsibility for managing pavilions and playing fields and would not be in a position to manage more facilities.  The Corporate Director Communities commented that Town and Community Councils pursuing CAT have a lot of merit and one that would be encouraged.  The Committee also commented that as the parks review and CAT are inextricably linked it would wish to see the review completed before transfers take place.  The Head of Neighbourhood Services informed the Committee that the parks review would be completed in a few months.  The review was likely to have a variety of outcomes and would also be dependent on the Council’s financial settlement, which was giving rise to current uncertainty. 

The Committee questioned whether the Council would assist with carrying out infrastructure works such as drainage to assist clubs in taking forward a CAT.  The Corporate Director Communities commented that there may be a requirement to invest in pavilions prior to transfer but not with playing fields.  He stated that if a case was made out and in order to give a CAT momentum, its feasibility would be looked at but there was need to work within financial parameters.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that there is a public perception that the Council maintains and prepares sports pitches; however income from hiring facilities is approximately 10% of the actual cost.  He stated that full cost recovery may have to be looked at in future or clubs taking greater responsibility for maintaining pitches.        

The Committee requested information on the composition of the Strong Communities Connecting Service Board.  The Corporate Director Communities stated that it is an internal board comprising officers from each Directorate. 

The Committee commented on the difficulty it would cause some communities where an asset was transferred which could be the only such facility in that community.  The Committee asked if co-locating sports clubs at school facilities could be explored.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that a model already existed where facilities at Coleg Y Dderwen and Archbishop McGrath Schools have community use.     

The CAT Officer informed the Committee that a CAT with Bryncethin RFC had been signed off and would be the first CAT to take place. 

Conclusions

The Committee recommended the encouragement of Town and Community Councils taking on Community Asset Transfers, particularly Sports Pavilions and Playing Fields. 

The Committee recommended that the Authority pursue other avenues as well as Community Asset Transfers as detailed in the report.  The Committee recommended exploring options such as co-location of Sports Clubs, rationalising Services and promoting the use of School facilities for alternative use– particularly the new 21^st Century Schools under the Schools Modernisation Programme.

The Committee recommended that the Authority explore further partnership working with organisations such as Halo and the Awen Trust to see if they could manage any of the assets.

Members asked that organisations in the Borough are given a better understanding of the timings involved in a Community Asset Transfer and what the deadlines are for the completion of the Community Asset Transfers.

The Committee expressed concerns over the implementation of Community Asset Transfers prior to the Strategic Review of Parks and Playing Fields being completed and requested that any future transfers are delayed in order to be informed by the Strategic Review.

Further Information

The Committee asked for evidence on how the Authority had responded to the 10 recommendations from a report commissioned by the Rural Development Programme on the impact to date of the Community Asset Transfer Programme, on clubs and societies operating in rural wards of Bridgend.