Expression of Interest

Community asset transfer involves the transfer of responsibility for an asset from Argyll and Bute Council to any suitable community, voluntary or social enterprise group/community controlled body.

Community asset transfer can take several forms:

• a transfer of outright ownership
• a request for a short or long term lease /licence
• A request for "other use"

The Council is keen to work with groups to progress options for people to be involved in developing and providing opportunities or services for their local communities. It may also allow groups to develop commercial proposals which will support community benefit or may mean that public assets get used more frequently and more effectively.

There are three ways to look to progressing your interest in Council assets

• Commercial offers for sale or lease can be made directly to our Estates and Property Development Section.  estatesenquiries@argyll-bute.gov.uk
• Property for sale or rent Property for sale or rent (argyll-bute.gov.uk)

• You can at any time submit an Asset Transfer Request (ATR) to the Council details of what is needed are listed on these pages and on other support agency web sites

• We suggest that you consider using our Expression of Interest (EOI) process before submitting a formal ATR. EOI are an information way to engage with council officers and departments to access information and help build an understanding of what you seek to achieve with your request.  Through working with the Council it may be possible to develop common understanding and joint goals that would enable a request to be developed that could proceed in partnership without enacting the legislation.

• A base for activities and services that might not otherwise be accessible to members of a particular community
• Improved social wellbeing, economic development, regeneration, public health or environmental wellbeing
• Generate new income to the local area
• Unlock access to funding and grants to invest in local services
• Help build a stronger sense of community identity, cohesion and involvement

From time to time Assets become surplus to requirement or come under threat of closure.  Our normal course of action is to post those assets for sale through our Estates and Property Development Section.  We want to reach out to communities to see if there is any interest in developing a partnership approach to maintaining or jointly developing some of these assets that may have particular community interest.

Please use our Expression of Interest form to indicate you are interested in talking to us about an idea.

Expression of Interest for working in partnership bringing assets into community control

In the past there had been some public conveniences that had to close or were at risk of having opening times restricted and the challenges this has put on operational budgets. 

• We are activly seeking to start a coversation with community groups and organisations about how we might be able to bring forward ways to secure the continued use of these valued local assets into the future. 
• We would be interested in talking about any of our assets but in particular we are asking for groups who have an interest in supporting toilet opening times in the following areas.

Mid - Argyll             

   

Islay