Members of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee will meet on Tuesday 7 March and will be asked to agree a new Asset Transfer Strategy.
The Community Asset Transfer process for our Council was agreed in July 2014. The report that will be tabled at the meeting on 7 March will detail the five key objectives of the new strategy, and how our council will go about meeting national statutory requirements in relation to community empowerment. The new strategy will also lay out more effective and efficient processes and ensure that the values of our Council are promoted to communities across the whole of Dumfries and Galloway.
Our Council sought feedback on what asset transfer meant to communities, and asked for ways we could improve. As a result of this feedback, their is now a dedicated Asset Transfer page on our website, and the application form has been made easier to complete for those interested in the transfer of a Council property. The recent addition of Ward Workers will also assist local communities with a direct link to the assets available for transfer.
This new working document will lay out requirements on how an application for asset transfer will be processed, including new steps in the review and appeal stages. Timescales are also stated in the new policy, so those organisations requesting a transfer of an asset have a clear understanding and expectation of when our Council will process the request and the steps we will take to do this.
Chairman of the Communities Committee, Councillor Tom McAughtrie commented;
“The process of Asset Transfer is determined by the Scottish Government to a degree, but we as a Council are taking steps to put in place a clear and concise strategy here, that I hope my fellow Members will agree at Committee. As a Council we are committed to improving communities right across the region, and the implementation of this Asset Transfer strategy will allow us to deliver on this commitment. We need to make drastic savings due to severe budget cuts, so clearly if we can disperse some of our assets to communities, who will in turn reap the rewards of these transfers, then it’s a win-win situation for our Council and our communities.”
To view the full report that’ll be tabled at the Communities Committee on Tuesday 7 March Click HERE
