The Head of Operations – Community Services sought approval to implement the recommendations of the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Task and Finish Group designed to ensure that CAT Priority 1 asset transfers can be progressed more efficiently and effectively and to also approve the associated changes to the Community Asset Transfer policy; and the list of CAT Priority 1 Assets available for long-term lease or short-term management agreement.

The Head of Operations – Community Services informed Cabinet that community asset transfer had traditionally been undertaken in line with the Asset Management Plan 2021: Community Asset Transfer Guidance Document and 3 priorities had been determined.  The Council issued in 2015, updated guidance on Community Asset Transfer, based on the Best Practice Guide issued by the Welsh Government, which established clear roles and responsibilities for a four stage process.  A Community Asset Transfer Steering Group has responsibility for approving expressions of interests, business cases, support and funding by ensuring that any proposed community asset transfer meets the Council’s strategic priorities, operational requirements and future direction.  Approval to dispose of Council assets including community asset transfers has been delegated to the Strategic Asset Management and Investment Manager, with more complex and contentious disposals authorised by the Corporate Director Communities or reported to Cabinet for approval.  To date, three projects have been allocated funding from the CAT fund. 

The Head of Operations – Community Services reported that the CAT Task & Finish Group which had been established had considered the approaches adopted by other local authorities to community transfer, particularly the approaches adopted by Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot Councils.  The Task and Finish Group had recommended that the priority of assets for community asset transfer be refined so that savings under the MTFS can be prioritised accordingly.  Changes had also been recommended to the Community asset transfer Policy to take account of the following changes recommended by the Task and Finish Group:

• Revised CAT Asset Priorities;
• Adoption of a risk based approach to the assessment of community groups and assets;
• Introduction of “fast tracking” of CAT applications;
• More emphasis on a Business Diagnostic Assessment being undertaken on each community group;
• Reduced requirement for detailed business plans being a mandatory requirement for community groups and assets deemed suitable for “fast tracking”.

The Head of Operations – Community Services summarised the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group.

·        A List of Assets available for community asset transfer should be maintained and periodically reviewed and updated;

·       Asset data (compliance, condition survey and operating costs) should be issued to community groups at the earliest opportunity;

·       Model Heads of Terms and template Leases for particular asset groups should be utilised wherever possible with a “take it or leave it” approach being adopted;

·       The submission of income and expenditure projections for a minimum of a 5-year period should suffice for the majority of community asset transfers but detailed business plans should still be requested for complex projects;

·       A risk based approach should be adopted for the Business Diagnostic Assessment undertaken upon community groups and the assets being subject to transfer;

·       T&CCs and established community groups should have their applications fast tracked particularly where the asset subject to transfer is in a compliant condition.  The risk based approach will enable a risk matrix to be produced identifying suitability for fast tracking;

·       The risk based approach will also ensure that the majority of community groups will no longer be expected to produce a full detailed business case;

·       Staff resources required to progress community asset transfers needs to be evaluated so that agreed timescales can be met and a “team” approach adopted.

The Cabinet Member Communities in commending the proposals commented that the catalyst for changes to the process is that the Council’s current requirements are too rigid and there is a need for fast track approach to facilitate certain types of transfers.  He stated that the recent transfer of Bryncethin Playing Fields to Bryncethin RFC for the development of a community centre had taken some time to come to fruition.  He believed that the proposals contained built in protection to the authority and to organisations seeking the transfer and that there are good governance arrangements in place.  The Cabinet Member Social Care and Early Help commented that he had attended the recent opening of the Community Centre at Bryncethin, whose members were very appreciative of the Council’s part in the transfer process. 

The Leader was pleased to see the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny process being reflected in the proposals and the fast tracking approach for trusted partners. 

The Cabinet Member Wellbeing and Future Generations asked whether officers would consider an approach for the transfer of an asset from priority 2 or 3.  The Head of Operations – Community Services stated that officers would consider such an approach but there would be concerns in tying up limited officer time and resources, especially if the matter was complex and there was little return to the Council. 

RESOLVED:             That Cabinet:

(1)        Approved the recommendations of the CAT task   & Finish Group;

(2)        Approved the amended Community Asset Transfer Policy document;

Approved the list of CAT Priority 1 Assets available for transfer under long-term lease, short-term management agreement or licence.