TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington are to be asked to approve a 12-week consultation on a new policy which could lead to the borough council handing over the running of community buildings and open spaces to voluntary groups.
Members of the borough council’s executive board will be studying the proposals at a meeting next week – and if the consultation process goes favourably, the new policy could be launched in January.
The proposals are outlined in a report to be presented jointly by Cllr Kate Hannon, executive member for leisure, community and culture, and Cllr Mike Hannon, deputy leader of the council.
The husband-and-wife team (pictured) point out that there are benefits to the community, to the council and to voluntary/community organisations (VCOs).
Communities can benefit because devolution of power to neighbourhoods enables citizen involvement. Asset transfer can contribute towards the regeneration of communities, involving local people in shaping and regenerating communities and accessing external funding not available to the borough council.
The council can benefit from partnerships between VCOs, the council and other partners and can help deliver efficiency savings.
However assets are usually transferred for a nominal sum or concessionary rent and in some cases this could prevent the sale of a property on the open market that would otherwise raise a significant receipt for the council.
For this reason, a formal asset transfer policy must ensure consistency and transparency.
The consultation process must involve councillors, parish councils where appropriate, neighbourhood boards, occupiers, tenants and neighbours.
A steering group has already developed a draft community asset transfer policy and two council properties, the former Great Sankey and Grappenhall library buildings, have been transferred into community management.
Council to hand over assets to volunteers?
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
3 Comments
Why bother when employees have already been told that they will transfer to the Trust in 2012! At the same time who is going to be consulted? Counsultation on such a big issue should be as wide as possible with residents across the Town being asked for their views. We live in hope!
Think that you will find that this is a different thing altogether CTP, and not the leisure trusts. The examples given are libraries which have been closed by the council, and locals have reopened them. Don’t need to consult, just need to find people willing to reopen and run the service that had previously been closed down.
If this is a money saving idea by the Council, then surely this means they won’t have to do these cuts on the low paid staff they have? Then again, as long as they tick boxes – their favourite hobby – then why should they care about the effects anything they do have on those who keep them in a job i.e. us tax payers?!
Plus will money saved go towards finishing the relaying of Green Lane and Holes Lane rather than being a ‘half job Harry’ as per usual?!!!