New move to make it easier for community groups to take over Fife Council’s assets

The proposals have been drawn up after a short-life working group was formed to address the issues involved in removing some of the barriers currently faced by community groups wishing to pursue community asset transfers from the local authority.

At its April meeting, the region’s environment, finance and communities scrutiny committee learned that only two of 67 initial community asset transfer enquiries had resulted in a Fife Council buildings being formally transferred to a community body - the former Kelty Library to Kingdom Brass and Gallatown Bowling Club to Kirkcaldy YMCA.

Since then a further nine have been transferred, but the working group hopes its efforts to simplify the process will pay dividends over the coming years.

Councillor Neil Crooks, who chaired the working group, welcomed the progress being made.

“It’s a good piece of work, and I would imagine the next steps will be for the committee to look at how it is going to progress a lot of the recommendations we have come up with.

“There’s enough for us to be going on with to make the processes better, clearer and hopefully more efficient.

“I’m really happy to see since we started the work back in April or May that a number of new groups have finished the process and been successful.”

A total of 10 proposals will be put forward to Fife Council for action to improve the community asset transfer process, covering various topics such as applications, funding sources and legal issues that may arise.

Crail Community Partnership has been most successful in the past year, taking on four community assets - Crail Community Hall, Pinkerton Triangle, land at Bow Butts, and Kilminning Nature Reserve.

The North East Fife Community Hub took over St David’s Centre in St Andrews and Earlsferry Town Hall Limited took over Earlsferry Town Hall, while the Newburgh Community Partnership acquired East Shore Park.

The transfer of Ore Park in Glencraig to Fife Sons of Struth Football Academy is progressing but remains in the hands of solicitors.

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