Community Asset Transfer
and Community Asset Rescue

What is it?

Community Asset Transfer is about giving people and community groups control in the future of their area through assets. Central government has made a commitment to empower citizens by transferring the ownership and management of public sector land and assets to community organisations.

Asset transfer can play a key role in encouraging local involvement and ownership and uniting communities - giving them a base for development of skills and encouraging a stronger community spirit.

Localism, Big Society agendas and Council efficiencies have brought to the fore the subject of asset transfer. Councils have for many years, had the ability to transfer buildings and land into community management or ownership. The 2007 Quirk Review led to the community asset transfer programme that supports councils to deliver collaborative community transfers and the subsequent Asset Transfer Unit established in 2009.

The benefits of transfer are clear; community empowerment for local people and asset disposal for the council but the hurdles are many and the plethora of transfer models, including leasehold or peppercorn rent which can add to the confusion

What can we offer?

We offer a range of bespoke solutions to support asset transfer, from simple brokerage between parties to ensure that council and community understand and respect each others' perspectives. to policy and procedural support to ensure that the asset is transferred dutifully, and ultimately support to build capacity within the recipient organisation to sustain the asset.

Many community assets have run into difficulty recently with the rapid and radical reform of the public sector which, in some areas has limited the availability of grants and increased overheads for local groups. Community Asset Rescue is our bespoke, intensive support package to avoid closure or further decline of assets and can include capacity-building of groups, short-term leaseholding of the asset and asset 'sweating'.

Key areas of support for Community Asset Transfer include

• Support for Local Government to transfer ownership of community assets responsibly
• help to turn around failing assets to create sustainable community enterprise
• assistance for local groups to understand their liabilities and to create a business plan to ensure future viability of local assets.

Our experience

Our team has a wealth of personal and professional experience of living and working within some of our most deprived communities. Operating at both a grass-roots and strategic level within urban and rural environments we offer more than 18 years experience and the privilege of a number of different perspectives.

We have current and historic knowledge of Government policy and the various approaches adopted by local strategic partners to engage and empower communities.

Our people are qualified, acclaimed professionals with experience across various disciplines including economic development and regeneration, community development, skills, enterprise, health and sport. They have secured local, regional and national awards and are well respected within public, private and voluntary sector.

Key experience: The Georges Community Centre, Crewe - redundant asset to community enterprise in 12 weeks, official partner of Running Sports, qualified Master Management practitioner in Enterprise, Winner of the Social Enterprise of the Year 2011- Cheshire East, associate of the Big Society Network, Member of the Social Enterprise Coalition.