overview of the considerations community and town councils must be aware of when dealing with the...
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Lyn CadwalladerChief ExecutivePrif Weithredwr
Asset or Service Devolution – Implications for Community and Town Councils
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
The Voice of Community and Town Councils
Llais Cynghorau Chymuned a Thref
www.onevoicewales.org.uk
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Un Llais Cymru
Gweithio i Gynghorau ar draws Cymru
Tri gweithgaredd craidd:
Cynrychioli cynghorau’n genedlaethol – dylanwadu gwaith cyrff eraill er lles y sector.
Hwyluso datblygiadau ar y cyd – yn ffurfiol ac anffurfiol
Cynhaliaeth i gynghorau unigol – cyngor, arweiniad a phwyso ar faterion penodol.
One Voice Wales
Working for Councils across Wales
Three key activities:
Representing councils nationally – influencing the work of other bodies in the interests of the sector.
Facilitating joint development – formally and informally.
Supporting councils individually – advice, guidance and lobbying on specific issues.
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Gwasanaethau Allweddol
Darparu cyngor cyfreithiol
Arweiniad cyffredinol ar welliannau i systemau a gwasanaethau
Gwybodaeth ar ddatblygu polisïau
Gweithredu’r Strategaeth Hyfforddiant Genedlaethol
Annog cynghorau i fanteisio ar gyfleoedd Cymru gyfan
Hyrwyddo Arfer Orau a darparu cyfleoedd rhwydweithio
Key Services
Provision of legal advice
General guidance on system and service improvements
Information on policy development
Implementation of National Training Strategy
Promoting take-up of all-Wales opportunities
Promotion of Best Practice and providing networking opportunities
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Chief Executive
Lyn Cadwallader
Deputy CEO
Paul Egan*
Development Officer
Dr Del Morgan*
Development Officer
Luned Evans*
Development Officer
Shannon Robinson*
Administration Manager
Tracy Gilmartin-Ward
Member Councils
Member Councils
Member Councils
Member Councils
*Part-time
Administration Asst.
Wendi Huggett
Governance & Staffing
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Background to Land, Asset and Service Devolution
Cuts to local authority funding Having to do more, better, for less Public assets which have become liabilities Difficult decisions re. cuts in service delivery –
LA’s only providing what they must because of budget cuts
A cost to the community in terms of blight, lost services/assets and lost opportunities
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Case for Local Devolution of Assets or Services• Better quality, ‘joined up’ forms of service
delivery informed by community priorities• Lifts the burden of bureaucracy• Empowers CC and TCs to do things their way• Strengthens the accountability of local people• Strengthens the role of local councillors• Develops the enabling role of CC and TCs
involving local stakeholders in local partnerships
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Approaches to Devolution of Assets or Services• Budget comes with the transfer of service• Total cut in service if CC and TCs don’t take on
the service• Encouragement of partnerships – co-design and
co-production• CC and TCs coming together on a clustering basis
QUESTION: Do you know of examples of these approaches?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
What services are suitable for devolution?• Public conveniences• Parks and Children’s play areas• Maintenance of playing fields• Cutting of highway verges and hedges
What others might there be – also, what are the key issues involved here?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Issues facing Community and Town Councils• Assessing the benefits of retaining/managing the service at
the very local level• How can it be funded?• Would the community/town be prepared to pay more
through the precept?• What is the Council’s experience of working in partnership
with other bodies?• Is there a possibility of joining forces with neighbouring
councils?• Does the Council have the capacity and knowledge?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Land and Asset Transfers – The Issues (1)
Short timescales for local councils to consider taking on land or assets
Lack of due diligence process Lack of skills and capacity in community and
town councils Need for electoral mandate Lead in times for transfers Need to improve communications
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Land and Asset Transfers – The Issues (2)
Provision of information
- Business Case for disposal (costs/value for money)
- Environmental impact assessments
- Equality Impact assessments
Transfers are not necessarily savings to end user
Organisation of local councils Future funding of services – who pays?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Addressing the issues
• How can the Council ascertain whether the community/town will pay more?
• How can the Council identify opportunities for co-design and co-production?
• What guidance and support would Councils need to take on a new service?
• How should Councils assess capacity and knowledge requirements and respond to their findings?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Asset Transfers/Devolution of Services – The Risks• Asset or Liability – condition of building/planning
constraints/falling demand• TUPE issues• Managing transferred employees• Funding comes with devolution but how long will this
be the case?
Are there others?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Managing the risks• Due diligence assessments• Independent Building Surveys• Legal guidance on freehold transfers/leases etc.• Ensuring the community/town are on board• Ensuring staff skills, knowledge and capacity• Policies and Procedures in place• Is the Council able to refurbish the asset or take on the service and
maintain it – financial projections• Would the asset/service pay for itself and extra staff?• Opportunity for community action and getting volunteers involved
Are there other risks and what would methods of managing them?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Role of Councillors
• Wealth of local knowledge• Local Champions• Cascading information to electors• Ensuring the community/town are on board• Getting the community involved• Conduit for communication• Taking the community with them• Ensuring a can do attitude is maintained• Engagement with community groups
What other roles might they have and what is the role of the Clerk in this context?
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Land and Asset Transfers – Possible Solutions
LA’s – Investing to Save Building capacity and understanding – by the two tiers of
local government Developing new guidance
- Models for transfer
- Double taxation
- ‘Joint delivery partnerships’
Provision of training – to LA’s and for Community and Town Councils (grow capacity and skills)
Making Charter’s work – improving the communication channels
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Devolution of Assets or Services – Desirable Impacts
Develop a ‘holistic’ place based approach to local service delivery Maintain community access to services and assets that might
otherwise be at risk, particularly concurrent functions Increase public satisfaction with assets/land/services Provide greater local influence over assets/land/services Enhance the role of local councils in their communities Generate greater community pride in local areas Promote engagement of local communities in local government ;
and…
Achieve ‘value for money’ for the electorate
One Voice Wales Un Llais Cymru
Useful Sources of Information
Community Asset Transfers in Wales – A Best Practice Guide
Community Asset Transfer Checklist
(Both of the above available via Welsh Government website)
One Voice Wales – Devolution of Services training module
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