1. Does the authority have a published Community Asset Transfer* policy?
*Community Asset Transfer enables local authorities to transfer the ownership/management of their assets to community organisations at less than full market value in order to achieve a defined public benefit.
a. If yes, please provide a web-link to the policy.
b. If no, is Community Asset Transfer (CAT) integrated into another policy within your local authority ‘ such as wider asset management strategies or VCSE (voluntary, community and social enterprise) policies? Please provide a web-link to this, if so.
c. If no, does the authority have a CAT policy that is not-published / only available on request? Please provide a copy if available, if so.
Devon County Council (DCC) publishes a process to describe the Disposal process for “assets of community benefit”. This is contained within Part 5G of DCC’s Constitution which covers the wider Practice for the Disposal of Surplus Property. The relevant document is available on the DCC web site via the following link at:
Information on the ability for eligible groups to discuss potential Asset Transfers with DCC is also available through the “Communities” web pages –
https://www.devon.gov.uk/communities/how-do-i/develop-a-proposal/transfer-of-assets
2. If the authority has a CAT policy (whether integrated into another strategy or a non-published policy), when was this last updated or reviewed?
Cabinet meeting of 9th January 2013; see Item 603 on the minutes which are available online at:
The volume of Community Asset Transfer over the last five years
3. How many land or building assets has the authority transferred to community ownership* through Community Asset Transfer in the following time periods (financial years): 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19?
* For the purpose of this question, please provide the number of assets that have been transferred using the General Disposal Consent (England) 2003 (Local Government Act 1972), which enables the transfer of assets at less than best or nil consideration to achieve a defined community benefit.
Devon County Council has completed on the transfer of 6 buildings (no land) since 2014 at less than best, or nil, consideration to support a community benefit.
4. Of those assets that have been transferred, how many are on:
a) A freehold agreement
b) A long lease of at least 25 years or more
c) A lease of between 5 years and 25 years
d) A lease of less than 5 years.
Please provide this information for the same time periods as Q3 if possible.
All of the assets transferred since 2014 have been as freehold agreement transactions.
5. Currently, how many land or building assets does the authority own in total? Please exclude social housing assets from this total.
DCC currently owns the freehold of approximately 515 land or building assets.
6. How many of the authority’s land and building assets are currently identified as potential assets available for CAT? Please state if you do not review assets available for CAT in this way.
DCC do not review their assets in this way.