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Community asset transfer involves the transfer of responsibility for an asset from 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp 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 that may result in public assets being used more frequently and effectively.

There are three options to progress interest in Council assets

1. Seek a commercial lease or offer to buy

• Commercial offers for sale or lease can be made using the Expression of Interest (EOI) process or directly to our Estates and Property Development Section.  estatesenquiries@argyll-bute.gov.uk

View our current properties for sale Property for sale or rent (argyll-bute.gov.uk)

2. Enact the Asset Transfer Request process as part of the Community Empowerment Act

• You can submit an Asset Transfer Request (ATR) to the Council at any time.
• Details of how to do this can be found on the Community Asset Transfer pages or on other support agency web sites

3. Develop an arrangement by working in partnership with the council to achieve mutual goals and better serve local communities

• We suggest that you consider using our Expression of Interest (EOI) process before submitting a formal ATR.
• EOI are an informal 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.

Community-led ownership or control of land and buildings can be a powerful tool for communities to drive change and achieve their own goals, it can provide:

• 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 requirements or come under threat of closure.  The normal course is to market these assets for sale through our Estates and Property Development Section. 

We are also looking to reach out to communities to see if there is interest in developing a partnership approach to maintaining or jointly developing some 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 or a particular property.