Programmes

The Asset Transfer Unit coordinates consultancy support from the DTA's Pool and Community Matters to deliver three community asset programmes:

1. Advancing Assets for Communities Demonstration Programme
   
2. Support Contract for the Community Assets Programme
   
3. Cascading Asset Transfer - a training programme for infrastructure organisations supporting asset transfer

Further details can be found on the dedicated page for each programme.

Background:

Making Assets Work: The Quirk Review of Community Management and Ownership of Public Assets [Quirk, 2007] explores how to optimise the community benefit of publicly owned assets, by considering options for greater transfer of asset ownership and management to community groups. 

In summary, the Review recognised that “optimising the use of public assets is not the primary objective: the over-riding goal is community empowerment”. It concludes that:-

• 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 purposes becoming overly burdened with asset management.
  
• The benefits of community management and ownership of assets can outweigh the risks and often the opportunity costs, and if there is a rational and thorough consideration of these, there are no substantive impediments to the transfer of public assets to communities.
  
• There are risks but they can be minimised and managed. The secret is all parties working together. This needs political will, managerial imagination and a more business focused approach from the public and community sectors.
  

It clarifies that what is required is not legislation or new powers, but guidance and support to help people understand and use existing powers to greater effect, and it recommends five related actions to deliver the change in culture needed:-

1. Publication of comprehensive, up-to-date and authoritative guidance concerning local authority asset management – including detailed and explicit guidance on the transfer of assets to community management and ownership

2. Publication of a toolkit for local authorities and other public bodies on risk assessment and risk management in asset transfer to communities

3. Provision of greater access for local authorities and community organisations to expert advice and organisational development support relating to the transfer and management by communities of land and buildings

4. Smarter investment of public funds designated for community-led asset-based developments, where permissible, through the involvement of specialist financial intermediaries with expertise in the field and the ability to achieve high leverage ratios

5. A major campaign to ‘spread the word’ – through seminars, roadshows, training, use of the media, online and published information, and the dissemination of good practice as well as promotion of ‘bottom up mechanisms’

The Government committed to implementing those recommendations in its response to the Quirk Review - ‘Opening the Transfer Window’ – where a detailed implementation plan calls for a range of government departments, public and third sector bodies to effect their delivery in partnership with one another. In summary, the plan makes provision for:-

• A demonstration programme & public sector risk management toolkit - Advancing Assets for Communities
  
• Targeted investment in asset transfer activity - Community Assets Programme
  
• Improved access to expert advice and support - Asset Transfer Unit and Cascading Asset Transfer training programme
  
• Awareness raising and campaigning - Asset Transfer Unit