Agenda item

(a)       That the Committee note the report and support the work undertaken in relation to the Community Asset Transfer programme of work; and

(b)       That the supporting role Community Asset Transfer can play in developing Community Resilience be noted.

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) introduced the report which explained that this was the third year of implementation and support of the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) plan.

There had been some key large scale asset transfers, notably Connah’s Quay Swimming Pool which was now being run and managed by Cambrian Aquatics, and more recently Holywell Leisure Centre, which had been the largest and most complex asset transferred to date.

The Council remained committed to supporting the CAT programme and had undertaken a number of year one reviews as part of its commitment to understand their ongoing commitment and contribution to Community Benefits.

Details of the other assets which had progressed through legal completion or were in the final stages of legal completion were detailed in the report.  The Chief Officer suggested that feedback from some of the groups in the CAT programme could form part of a future Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting where they could attend and speak about their own projects which was supported.

The groups were developing wider skill sets within their local communities which were both transferable and which created community resilience.  This was an important concept and added additional value to the CAT process by creating more resilient communities which were able to support each other through developing new skills, confidence and knowledge.

            Councillor Dunbar said he was pleased with the CAT of Connah’s Quay Swimming Pool and asked how it was funded.  The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) explained that a meeting had taken place the previous week with Cambrian Aquatics and he was pleased to report that there had been a substantial increase to the number of swimming lessons being given since the CAT had commenced.  He said the funding agreement from the Council had been for three years and it was now in the third year.  A Business Plan had been suggested for the next three years but the financial position of Cambrian Aquatics was sound.  In response to a question from Councillor Dunbar on the Mill Lane Allotments in Connah’s Quay, the Chief Officer (Organisational Change) said this had transferred to the Town Council so the legal entity resided with the Town Council.

            Councillor Shotton welcomed the report and praised Cambrian Aquatics for the work they had done since the CAT, commenting on the thriving swimming club.  He also said good progress was being made at Connah’s Quay Youth Club.  In response to a comment from Councillor Shotton, the Chief Officer (Organisational Change) said the Golftyn Park ‘Our Back Yards’ initiative was part of a lottery bid which the Council supported.

            The Chief Executive welcomed the remarkable progress that had been made with CATs.  He commented on the proposal from Welsh Government (WG) that a fundamental review should take place on the role of Town and Community Councils.  A suggested response from Flintshire could be that a key role of them was to now maintain CATs and request that they be able to draw on central funding for that support.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee note the report and support the work undertaken in relation to the Community Asset Transfer programme of work; and

(b)       That the supporting role Community Asset Transfer can play in developing Community Resilience be noted.