Community Asset Transfer

£13 MILLION PROGRAMME WILL HELP WELSH COMMUNITIES HELP THEMSELVES

A new £13 million programme to help community groups in Wales to regenerate their areas was officially launched by the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and the Welsh Assembly Government today.

The new multi-million Community Asset Transfer Programme (CAT) aims to provide both capital and revenue funding to support the transfer of assets, such as land and buildings, from public sector organisations to community ownership.

Projects can apply for grants of between £300,000 and £800,000 and the money will help community groups to regenerate and reinvigorate the assets and develop, manage and sustain them to improve their livelihoods and neighbourhoods.

Announcing the official launch of the programme, the Deputy Minister for Regeneration, Leighton Andrews AM, said: "There are many public assets in Wales that are not being used to their full potential and empowering the community to use these buildings and land to suit their needs is the main aim of this programme. The Community Asset Transfer Programme encompasses many values. It’s about enterprise; sustainable development; health and wellbeing; local solutions to local problems. But most of all - it’s about the potential to involve and engage in identifying the best solutions to regenerate disused land and buildings and breathe new life into the facilities available in communities for the communities themselves."

He added: "Communities can liberate themselves and the Community Asset Transfer Programme will help to ensure that the resources are available to facilitate that journey."

Delighted with the announcement, Big Lottery Fund Wales Chair and UK Board Member, Huw Vaughan Thomas, said: "We want to help communities become stronger and more sustainable by assisting them to obtain and develop assets such as land or buildings. We will do this by developing assets transferred from public sector bodies to enterprising organisations that actively involve and benefit the communities they serve. Our aim is to help more people benefit from their local community assets but also to generate local income and employment."

The programme is now open for applications. For further information about the CAT programme and how you can apply for funding, please visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk call 029 2067 8200, textphone 0845 602 1659 or email cat@biglotteryfund.org.uk

EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL ASSET TRANSFER PROJECTS

Example 1 Gorseinon Centre, Swansea – an innovation centre built by the City & County of Swansea at the site of the old Bryngwyn Steelworks in Gorseinon, and a major new housing development. The ‘Canolfan Gorseinon Centre’ is initially on a long term lease from the City & County of Swansea on a peppercorn rent and managed by Gorseinon Development Trust. It will be the base for the Trust's activities and income generation including a wide range of community enterprises and facilities. The new state-of-the-art centre includes a café, conference and workshop facilities, and provision of 40 additional childcare spaces with new jobs created in the first year, in the café and the nursery. http://www.gdt.org.uk/canolfangorseinon.htm

Example 2 Galeri, Caernarfon – arts based development centre
Galeri Caernarfon Cyf is a not for private profit community enterprise operating as a development trust in the historic town of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, North Wales, established in 1992 (under its previous name Cwmni Tref Caernarfon). The development of the 'Galeri Creative Enterprise Centre' has been the largest and most ambitious of the Trust’s projects to date. It is a brand new £7.5m Creative Enterprise Centre, which opened its doors in the town's Victoria Dock on 7 March 2005. The centre houses a flexible 400 seat auditorium, which also doubles up as a cinema (the first live entertainment venue in Caernarfon in over 20 years), several rehearsal and practice studios, art space, café bar, rooms for hire, conference facilities and 27 enterprise units, which currently house 15 creative companies all engaged in artistic or creative work. http://www.galericaernarfon.com/eng/about.aspx

Example 3 Tal-y-bont on Usk Hydro Project – energy, land based
Talybont on Usk is home to the first community owned hydro-electric scheme in Wales. Money from the sale of the electricity is put back into the community to support energy efficiency and renewable energy schemes. These schemes help to reduce fuel poverty and support Talybont-on-Usk journey towards becoming the first carbon neutral community in Wales. (Social Enterprise Action Plan 2009)

Example 4 STAR Centre, Sirhowy
The Sirhowy Tenants and Residents known as the STAR group became the leading partner in the development of the proposed STAR community centre. The Communities First Partnership undertook a feasibility study for the management of the former school site and an additional partner, United Welsh Housing Association (UWHA) was suggested for the project. This signalled a fresh approach in delivering a dedicated community hub in the heart of the Sirhowy neighbourhood. United Welsh Housing Association (UWHA), as the physical development partner for the project, purchased the school site from the council and unlocked the value of land in order to fund the proposed community facility. It is the STAR group’s aspiration to rebuild trust within its community to determine a brighter future for the Sirhowy area. The growing capability of the group sets it firmly on track to deliver the original vision of a centre that has become a symbol of reclaimed confidence and pride for the local community.