Community Asset Transfer: Innovative
Asset Management in Practice
Following the Quirk Review, the Government is encouraging local authorities and
other public sector organisations to consider releasing assets to the community
as part of their asset management programme. Public bodies need to be proactive
in their approach and understand the need for sound policy and practice to avoid
a number of potential pitfalls. Community organisations will need to prepare for
greater financial and social accountability as community asset transfer opens the
way to greater street-level involvement and self-sustaining community activities.
The aim of this seminar was to outline the key requirements for sustainable success.
A social enterprise needs to be founded on sound business principles and delivered
through a suitable legal and governance framework. Expectations of benefit need
to be matched with in-depth preparation and resourcing. Risks need to be properly
identified and managed.
Community Asset Transfer: Innovative Asset Management in Practice We hosted a one
day seminar in London on 31 January, examining key issues relating to Community
Asset Transfer and how the process transfer works in practice. The lively seminar
was attended by a number of delegates from around the country. The seminar was chaired
by Tony Rich on behalf of the Development Trusts Association, who is currently advising
on the implementation of the DCLG demonstration programme of community asset transfers.
Mark Johnson our Managing Director and Peter Hill our Associate Director along with
Kirstine Hyde from Grant Thornton examined the various aspects to Community Asset
Transfer outlining the key requirements for sustainable success. These included
the requirement for a suitable form of community enterprise run on financially sound
principles, as well as suitable legal and governance frameworks. The seminar examined
the various risks associated with Community Asset Transfer and how these can be
properly identified and managed, the need for thorough preparation and forward planning,
the available forms of legal vehicles for a trust and the relationships created
during the process of setting up transfer of an asset.
Feedback from our delegates:
“Pleased with the issues/topics covered have helped to clarify a variety of points”
– Ashfield District Council
“Well balanced morning of speakers and information, it was very helpful”
– Salford Primary Care Trust
“All sessions were very helpful with strategic context. General overview of options
rather than detail” – Tendering DC.
Community Asset Transfer: Learning Points
The Department for Communities and Local Government issued an interim report in
November 2007 based on the demonstration programme of Community Asset Transfer projects.
This contained a number of learning points relevant to the different stages of the
transfer process, which provide useful pointers for other authorities thinking of
going down this route. These are summaried here:Learning Points
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For More Information Contact:
The Projects Partnership Limited
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London SE1 0DB
t 020 7620 0888
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e info@tpplaw.co.uk
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