The benefits of CATs

The benefits for a community can be measured in economic, social, or environmental wellbeing terms. Potential benefits include:

• using surplus council assets to deliver community-led services at a more local level
• physical assets providing a base for building relationships and creating opportunities in the community (for example, training, communal warm spaces, and support and advice services)
• offering suitable lease terms so that VCSE sector organisations can access grant funding (for example, funding to refurbish the building or to support staff training and development)
• opportunities for increased financial self-sustainability through supportive agreements
• an opportunity to work with the council to make sure the building is suitable for the community's needs and the proposed services
• VCSE sector organisations will be signposted to appropriate networks and peer support. This will provide opportunities to pool knowledge and resources

Any proposal to transfer an asset to the community will need to clearly demonstrate a range of benefits for the local community.

CATs also benefit the council. A transferred asset may:

• provide a more accessible and responsive base from which to deliver services that will benefit the local community and the wider borough
• promote inward investment into the local area
• help to build relationships between the council, the VCSE sector and the community
• rationalise the council's estate; maximise use of buildings and reduce financial outgoings
• maximise the community benefit by focusing on better local services and outcomes
• support the community to help deliver the council's goals by encouraging stronger, long-term partnerships between local groups, the council, and VCSE sector organisations.