Register

Quick Search

You are here:

History

14 April 2009

The Quirk Review - Making Assets Work: The Quirk Review of Community Management and Ownership of Public Assets – is recognised as the foundation of contemporary Government policy concerning community asset transfer. The review identified clear benefits to local groups managing and owning assets, both as a means of empowering communities and as an effective mechanism to support local government in achieving its goals. The review also acknowledged that whilst the transfer of assets carries attendant risks and implies inevitable financial hurdles, there are no ostensible barriers to activity in support of community asset transfer.

The Government’s response, Opening the Transfer Window: The Government's response to the Quirk Review of Community Management and Ownership of Public Assets, reached three headline conclusions:

  1. Any sale or transfer of public assets to community ownership and management needs to realise social or community benefits without risking wider public interest concerns and without community groups becoming overly burdened by operational considerations;
  2. The benefits of community management and ownership of public assets can outweigh the risks and opportunity costs in appropriate circumstances;
  3. There are risks, but they can be minimised and managed. 

The Government supported all of the recommendations outlined in the Quirk Review. In 2007, it called upon the Development Trusts Association (DTA) and its partners Community Matters, the Local Government Association and ACRE to establish and deliver the Advancing Assets for Communities demonstration programme. Thereafter, the White Paper “Communities in Control: Real People, Real Power” [July: 2008], signalled the Government’s intention to establish a dedicated Asset Transfer Unit.

The Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, announced that the new Asset Transfer Unit would be managed by the DTA with the close involvement of key stakeholders, including Community Matters and the Local Government Association, during her keynote address to the DTA's annual conference in September 2008.

The Unit opened for business in January 2009 and was officially launched by the Secretary of State at an event held in Lambeth April 27th 2009.

Related Articles