COUNCIL assets could be transferred over to community groups under new proposals.
If approved the move would protect buildings and facilities at Lichfield District Council from being repurposed or developed in the future, as they would be owned and managed by the community.
A report to a meeting of the local authority’s cabinet has suggested the use of community asset transfers in a bid to safeguard local assets in the wake of upcoming local government reorganisation.
It explained:
“There is greater concern over the looming local government reorganisation and desire to ensure, whatever the outcome of that activity, that important local assets remain available to community organisations for purposes that benefit the communities they serve, where such activities represent good value to the taxpayer.”
Decisions on whether to make an asset transfer will be made on the basis of 14 criteria, including whether they provide a benefit to the community, supports the aims of the council and the value it holds.
A wide range of organisations could be eligible to apply for a transfer including clubs and community organisations or parish councils.
The report added:
“There are many potential benefits to this approach, pre-eminent among them is the opportunity to protect our open spaces, historic buildings, sports clubs and other assets from potential future development.
“With local government reorganisation there is a genuine risk that the future of land and property of community and social value may cease to be determined locally when the council becomes part of a larger authority covering a wider geography.
“Most councils consider community asset transfer as a response to recurrent, challenging spending review settlements and a need to consider asset transfer as an enabler to achieve financial efficiencies. For Lichfield District Council, the picture is different.
“The council is in a strong financial position today, albeit there is some uncertainty over the final years of the Medium Term Financial Strategy with ‘known unknowns’ in relation to the content of a promised multi-year settlement from Government.”
The cabinet is set to meet on 23rd June to debate the report.
