Community asset transfers

Community asset transfer involves the transfer of responsibility for buildings or land from the local authority to a voluntary or community organisation.

It presents opportunities to ensure that facilities can continue to be available locally for social, community and public use.

Voluntary and community organisations are often best placed to:

• take on and manage council-owned facilities in their area
• access external funding that is closed to the council, which may provide additional support to sustain the asset
• use their knowledge and hands-on management of a property that can lead to greater independence, lower overheads and better value-for-money, as well as a more extensive use of the facility

Local groups can make an application to manage council-owned property, as long as the transfer meets certain criteria and demonstrates real and lasting benefit in local neighbourhoods.

The community asset transfer protocol is attached to this page.