The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management updated Members on the implementation of the Office Accommodation Strategy; sought approval of new Policies relating to Disposals and Community Asset Transfer; and  authorised officers to progress Disposals and Community Transfers, in accordance with these policies.  An addendum was circulated containing further information about the Community Fund and recommends how it should be used to support the asset transfer process.

Resolved: - That

(1)  the progression of the Office Accommodation Strategy be endorsed;

(2)  the new Policies on Disposals and Community Asset Transfer (subject to transfers of community centres being offered first to established and viable Joint Management Committees) be approved and the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management be instructed to progress their objectives;

(3)  recommendations (1) and (2) in the addendum to the report in relation to applications for use of the Community Fund to support asset transfer be approved as set out below:

(a)  The Community Fund be used to support community asset transfer by:

meeting costs of essential repairs to make buildings fit for purpose at the time of transfer. The nature and cost of such repairs will be determined by the Council’s Head of Asset Management as part of the transfer process; and/or contributing interim support towards running costs for up to two years where an organisation can demonstrate that at the end of that period it will have a sustainable business plan.

(b)  A joint application be made to the Fund by the Council and the community group to which an asset is being transferred as part of the second stage of the application process set out in the Community Asset Transfer Policy.

(4)  the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management be nominated as the new Council representative on the joint Working Group administering the Community Fund, to replace the departing Head of Legal and Member Services.

(5)  the Director of Finance works towards amalgamating the existing budgets for building complexes into one budget, to become the responsibility of the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management.