Community Asset Transfer FAQs

Community Asset Transfer involves the transfer of the responsibility for an asset from the Council to a community group or voluntary organisation. This can be done through either a transfer of management responsibility, short or long term lease, or through the transfer of outright ownership. Consideration will also be given to a phased transfer of responsibility dependent on the nature of the proposal. Community Asset Transfer has been successfully applied elsewhere in Scotland. 

Community and voluntary groups, such as community associations, community trusts and user groups can all apply. In general, a group will

• be formally constituted 
• have sound, long-term management and governance arrangements
• have its own decision-making system and accountability to independent trustees, members or constituents
• be non-political 
• involve volunteers
• have Charitable Status 
• not be for private profit i.e. it does not distribute any surplus to owners or members but applies it to serving its basic purposes

Applications from newly formed groups may also be considered if they can demonstrate that they have the necessary expertise and experience to manage the asset and have a sound business plan in place. We can help you to set up a new group. 

East Ayrshire Council identify surplus properties from annual  Property and  Asset Management Framework. These properties have all been assessed for suitability, taking account of legal title, condition of the building, if the facility is linked to an existing building or if it is required for service provision.

All of the Council's assets are listed within the Asset Register on this page. This reflects all council properties - more information on considering a property can be explored through your local contact within the Communities Team.

This page highlights our current Community Asset Transfers alongside any potential properties identified.

You should lodge an expression of interest in the first instance and we will assess this to determine if your application can proceed to the next stage in the process. 

Every case will be different, depending on the nature of the application and the level of expertise within the group making the application. However, we estimate that from the original expression of interest, detailed assessment through to actual transfer of an asset could take around 14 months.

Yes – extensive support and assistance will available to anyone who needs it. Your local contact / CAT Lead can offer support on throughout this project and help is available in the form of legal and planning expertise, business planning preparation and advice on alternative funding streams.

Their contact details for your local area can be found below

To assist with your application we will provide details of usage, running costs and information relating to the physical condition of the property.

Organisations which progress to Stage 2 of the application process (Detailed Application Stage) will be required to submit a business plan. Wherever possible, organisations will be encouraged to work together for the benefit of the wider community. Applications will be assessed against a range of criteria, and ultimately this will determine how the assets will be transferred – and to whom.

East Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet will ultimately determine what will happen to these facilities, following recommendations from the Leisure Trust. Closure will be the last resort and will not be considered until every feasible option has been explored. We will continue to seek further expressions of interest, even in the latter stages of the process, before any final decisions are made. An audit of all non-Council community facilities (e.g. church halls, scout halls and bowling clubs) has been undertaken, to identify other premises which are also being used by groups and individuals for a range of purposes and activities. It is possible that many of these facilities can meet the needs of local communities

Some financial assistance may be available in the short term if this requirement is demonstrated within the business plan. Groups would be expected to be independently financially sustainable in the medium to long term. Each case will be assessed individually and advice will be offered in relation to external funding opportunities.

The Council has a range of workforce planning arrangements in place to deal with the staffing implications of Community Asset Transfer. Staff will be kept fully informed through their established team meetings

No decisions have been taken - this is only the start of the process and we want to talk to communities about opportunities for running/owning facilities.