web: locality.uk email: info@locality.uk tel: 0845 458 8336

1. web: locality.org.ukemail: info@locality.org.uktel: 0845 458 8336

2. Taking Over Public Assets: Making Assets Work for Communities Annemarie Naylor Head of Assets

3. Locality is the UK’s leading network of settlements, development trusts, social action centres and community enterprises.  number of Locality members 700+ total income £378m earned income £193m assets in community ownership:£808m number of staff employed: 9,000 volunteers 23,500 About Locality

4. Our Members Our members are: • Independent • Led by local people • Driving social change • Trading for community benefit • Developing community assets and ownership

5. Communities generating wealth & circulating it locally Communities with pride in their “place” Communities taking responsibility - empowerment Increased financial & operational independence Increased skills base Focus for neighbourhood-based service provision Opportunities for new partnerships Cost of doing nothing… Why community asset ownership?

6. Management arrangements Meanwhile Space Short term lease transfer Long term lease transfer Freehold transfer Freehold purchase Community Asset Acquisition Increasing: Autonomy Risk Impact Opportunity Capacity required

7. Can be a long and difficult process Local political/community tensions Must get the business case right Shortage of appropriate finance Skills gaps Capacity implications Competition from (public and) private speculators But, YES WE CAN! The Asset Challenge

8. Advancing Assets – 89 councils, 175 transfer initiatives Community Assets Programme – £30m programme working with 40 councils to refurbish and transfer 40 assets The Asset Transfer Unit – 65,000 online visitors, 85% councils aware, 1,000 transfers underway each year, 40% increase during 2011-12, 1,100 enquiries, 700+ discrete transfer initiatives supported, cross govt tools & guidance, policy development support Multiple Asset Transfer – 15 councils, 200+ transfer initiatives, place/service/class transfers, parallel/SPVs Community Asset Transfer - Experience

10. Community Builders - £70m programme to support feasibility work, purchase, extend and refurbish community assets Infrastructure Assets – homes, harbours, broadband, bridges, branch lines Meanwhile Space Project – pop-ups, empty shops, town centre resilience, post-riot support Community Managed Library Network – 50+ transfer initiatives, Community Knowledge Hub Community Asset Development & Management

11. Community Right to Bid • Gives communities the power to ensure that buildings and amenities can be kept in public use and remain an integral part of community life. • Voluntary and community organisations and parish councils can nominate an asset to be included in a ‘list of assets of community value’. • LA required to maintain the list. If the owner of a listed asset decides to sell, a moratorium period will be triggered during which the asset cannot be sold.

12. What is defined as an ‘asset of community value’? • Land or buildings that currently, or in the recent past, promote the social well-being of the local community - in particular, though not exclusively, recreational, cultural and sporting assets.

13. Meanwhile Use Community Right to Reclaim Land Compulsory Purchase for Communities More asset acquisition tools…

14. Where to get more help • Find out about some of the projects Locality has assisted: http://www.locality.org.uk/assets • Further information about the support the Asset Transfer Unit can offer: http://www.atu.org.uk/ or info@atu.org.uk • In future > Community Rights Support Services & Feasibility Grants Programmes

15. locality.org.uk