Community asset transfer policy 2025

78. There are five stages in the CAT process:

• Stage 1- Expression of interest
• Stage 2 - Full application
• Stage 3 - Approval
• Stage 4 - Conveyancing
• Stage 5 - Handover

Stage 1 - Expression of interest

79. The applicant is asked to complete an expression of interest form, included as Appendix 1.

80. This form requires details of:

• the organisation's mission, purpose, and objectives and how they fit with the council's values and priorities
• the organisation's governance arrangements, management capacity and staffing structure
• the purpose and activities of the organisation
• the proposed beneficiaries of the service
• the benefit(s) users and / or the local community would receive from the transfer
• the benefit(s) of the transfer for the organisation
• how the need for the proposed service has been identified and any community support for the CAT application, including how this information has been gathered
• the organisation's plans for managing the asset to ensure its financial sustainability

81. The expression of interest will be considered by the CAT Working Group, which convenes on a monthly basis and is made up of council officers, who will decide whether the expression of interest should proceed or not, and how it should proceed.

82. The potential outcomes from the CAT Working Group's assessment include:

• the application for a transfer should not proceed as it relates to an asset that is not suitable for a CAT
• the application should proceed to the full application stage, as the expression of interest has demonstrated reasonable merit against the assessment criteria
• the application cannot yet proceed as more information is required for the council to make an informed decision
• the application should not proceed as the expression of interest does not fulfil the assessment criteria

83. The applicant will be informed of the outcome of the CAT Working Group meeting within five working days of the meeting. Where an applicant's expression of interest is assessed as not meeting the criteria to proceed the applicant will be informed of this in writing with details of where criteria were not met.

Stage 2 - Completion and assessment of full application and business plan

84. Once the CAT Working Group determines that the expression of interest meets the criteria for the interest to be progressed, the organisation will be invited to complete the full application form and submit a robust business plan.

85. Details of what information is required is detailed as Appendix 3, with guidance available as Appendix 4.

86. When completing the full application form it is important to note:

• it is the responsibility of the organisation to create and present the business plan, as this is part of demonstrating their ability to maintain the asset
• support may be available through the council or partners to help organisations develop their application and business plan and this will be discussed with the applicant following assessment of the expression of interest
• organisations will be required to gather a range of information to evidence the viability of their application
• preparing the information and documents required for the application form can be a lengthy and time-consuming process. CATs from application to handover can take 12-18 months or longer depending on the individual circumstances

87. Once the full application form has been submitted, the CAT Working Group will assess the robustness of the application and business plan against the CAT assessment criteria.

88. The CAT Working Group may determine that the application:

• meets the assessment criteria and should proceed to the approval stage; or
• more information is required from the applicant before an assessment can be completed; or
• does not demonstrate that it meets the criteria for a CAT

89. If the application meets the assessment criteria, the applicant will be informed. Where it has been determined that an application does not meet the criteria for a CAT the reasons for this decision will be set out.

Stage 3 - Approval

90. Once a CAT has been agreed, in principle, by the CAT Working Group, heads of terms for the transfer will be discussed with the successful organisation. These relate to the specific terms on which it is proposed the CAT is agreed.

91. The transfer proposal will then need to be approved pursuant to the council's constitution and the appropriate scheme of delegation.

92. Where applicable CATs will be subject to compliance with all relevant subsidy control rules.

Stage 4 - Conveyancing

93. Once the CAT has been formally approved it will proceed to the conveyancing stage where the appropriate documentation will be negotiated between the council's legal representatives and the successful organisation (or their legal representation).

Stage 5 - Handover

94. Following completion of the legal documentation arrangements will be made for the handover of the asset to the VCSE sector organisation. The organisation will now be in control of the asset and will assume responsibility for the maintenance and financial sustainability of the asset, as set out in the legal documentation.

Download the Community asset transfer policy as a PDF (PDF, 1 MB)