ILE CAT Annual Return - Report
Renfrewshire Council · 27 May 2026
Back to Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board — 27 May 2026 and its agenda
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board On: 27 May 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Community Asset Transfer Annual Return 2025/26 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Community Asset Transfer Annual Return to 31st March 2026. 1.2. This is a requirement under Section 95 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (the Act). 1.3. Following the review of Part 5 of the Act, the Scottish Government have changed the process for reporting and issued a data capture spreadsheet to include all asset transfer request activity in since 2017. 1.4. Section 4 of this report explains the change to the annual reporting process and data capture requirements. 1.5. Section 5 provides the information to be reported for Renfrewshire Council for the period 1st April 2017 – 31 March 2026, inclusive. 1.6. Full details of all asset transfer requests being reported is attached as Appendix 1. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. It is recommended that the Board:- (i) Note the content of the report; (ii) Approve the list of asset transfer requests to be reported; and
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PUBLIC (iii) Authorise the Head of Economy and Development to submit the data capture template to the Scottish Government. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1. Part 5 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (“the Act”), which became effective from the 23rd of January 2017, allows for eligible community-controlled organisations, known as Community Transfer Bodies (CTBs), to apply to own, lease or manage any property or land owned or leased by Relevant Authorities1. 3.2. Section 95 of the Act requires Relevant Authorities to produce and publish an asset transfer report in each reporting period, 1st April to 31st March inclusive. 3.3. Since 2019/20, the Scottish Government has issued an asset transfer reporting template to collect information from relevant authorities on the number of asset transfer requests received in each period; the number agreed to and refused; the number that have resulted in the transfer, lease or rights being conferred; the number of appeals/reviews and of those the number allowed or dismissed. 3.4. From this data, it is known that since 2017 to March 2024, approximately 500 applications have been received, around 300 have been agreed and the rest are in progress or refused/invalid. 3.5. The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 - part 5 asset transfer: findings report published on 31 March 2025 by the Scottish Government, highlighted significant variance in the recording methods used by Relevant Authorities resulting in the lack of robust asset transfer data and made a commitment to exploring options to address this. 3.6. Details of the review and a copy of the Part 5 asset transfer findings report was provided to Members at item 10 of the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board held on 5 November 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Annual Reporting and Data Capture Process 2025/26 4.1. Following the review of Part 5 of the Act, the Scottish Government have changed the process for reporting and issued a data capture spreadsheet to include all asset transfer requests received by relevant authorities since 2017. 4.2. This will collect data from all 95 Relevant Authorities on all asset transfer activity from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2026, inclusive. 1 Relevant Authorities are public bodies such as local authorities, the NHS and the Police.
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PUBLIC 4.3. Information will be collated by the Scottish Government’s Public Service Reform Directorate with the help of analysts and national data will be published on the Scottish Government website and shared with public authorities, communities, third sector and interested stakeholders. 4.4. The indicative timescale for publishing collated will be late 2026, subject to the data collected being of sufficient quality. 4.5. The new data capture spreadsheet collects data on asset transfer based on the type of transfer requested - to own, lease or have rights over the asset. The capture also includes transfers that occurred out with the CEA legislation. 4.6. For each type of request, the template will capture data on a) on the asset, including type (land, building or both), name, postcode, size, current/previous use and whether the asset was declared surplus or the asset transfer request was initiated by the community transfer body; b) on the community transfer body (CTB), including the name of the body, their postcode, organisational type/status (Company, SCIO, unincorporated), whether the organisation is a community of place or a community of interest, date of the asset transfer request, proposed purpose and price offered; c) the asset transfer process and outcome, including the date the asset transfer request was validated, the value of the asset, the relevant authority decision, date the decision notice was issued, reason for refusal (if refused), size, price paid/accepted and date the asset transferred to the CTB; and d) information of reviews and appeals as relevant, including date submitted, date of decision, outcome and reason if original decision was upheld. 4.7. Relevant authorities are asked to provide as much information as they can to help ensure the information is as accurate as it possibly can be, however, it is recognised that due to staff changes and different approaches used not all information may be available from 2017, particularly in early years. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Renfrewshire Asset Transfers 2017 - 2026 5.1. Officers are currently gathering all of the information to complete the data capture template. 5.2. The data to be reported will include a) 29 asset transfer requests recognised by the Council since April 2017; b) Of these, 22 have been approved by the Council, 6 have been refused and 1 was withdrawn by the community transfer body prior to determination;
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PUBLIC c) Of all the asset transfer requests received by the Council, 11 have been for full transfer (sale), 17 for a long-term lease and 1 for other rights; d) Of the 22 asset transfer requests approved, 5 have subsequently withdrawn their application; e) At 31 March 2026, 11 asset transfer requests have resulted in the sale, long-term lease or rights being conferred on the CTB; 6 approved applications are continuing for legal completion. 5.3. In the period since the last report, 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026, the Council only received 1 new CAT request which was refused; 2 CAT requests from the previous period were approved; and 2 previously reported requests concluded in the period resulting in the transfer of ownership. In addition 3 previously reported CAT requests were withdrawn. See below: a) 1 new CAT request received - St Ninian’s Church Hall. CAT request was validated on 15/07/2025 and was refused by the CAT Subcommittee on 21/01/2026; request is currently subject to a review. b) 2 previously reported CAT requests were approved in the period, these were • Site, East Beardmore Cottages, Inchinnan – application validated on 16/01/2025 and approved on 21/05/2025; and • Beechwood Community Centre, Paisley – application validated on 17/01/2025 and approved on 21/05/2025. c) 2 previously reported CAT requests concluded within the period resulting in the transfer of ownership of the assets, these were • Woodlands Bowling Club, Linwood – application validated on 20/05/2022; approved on 31/08/2022; sale concluded 18/02/2026; and • Erskine Community Allotments - application validated on 24/11/2023; approved on 24/01/2024; sale concluded 09/03/2026. d) Within the period, 3 previously reported and approved CAT requests withdrew there application prior to completion, these were • Calderglen Playing Fields, Lochwinnoch – application validated on 24/06/2024 and sale approved on 24/08/2024; group withdrew their application on 15/08/25 at the request of the Council following the level of community objection to the transfer request; • Linwood Community Garden – application validated on 24/07/2023 and sale approved on 30/08/2023; group withdrew their application on 05/02/2026 due to the delays in the Council concluding the sale; and • Manse Crescent, Houston – application for management rights validated on 24/11/2023 and approved on 29/01/2024; group
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PUBLIC withdrew their application as they were unable to sign the lease as an unincorporated body. 5.4. See Appendix 1 for a full list of asset transfer requests received and outcome by year from April 2017. 5.5. In addition to full requests reported, the Council continue to have a number of ongoing applications, expressions of interest and enquiries. ___________________________________________________________________ 6. Next steps 6.1. If approved, the data capture template will be submitted to the Scottish Government by the 31 July 2026 deadline. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community Planning Our Renfrewshire is thriving – Three assets have transferred to community control with a further 4 applications approved in the period April 2024 to March 2025. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – Not applicable. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – Not applicable. 12. Climate Risk – Not applicable 13. Children’s Rights – Not applicable
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PUBLIC 14. Cosla Policy Position – – Not applicable _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board, 5th of November 2025, Item 10 _________________________________________________________________ Author: Sandra Inrig – 0141 487 1447 or 07974 071238. sandra.inrig@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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PUBLIC Appendix 1 All Asset Transfer Requests and Outcome (April 2017 to March 2026) Name of Asset Community Transfer Body Date Determined Outcome Type of Transfer Status Site, Carbrook Street, Paisley West End Growing Grounds 08/11/2017 Approved Lease Withdrawn Linwood Woodland Linwood Community Development Trust 30/05/2018 Approved Transfer Ownership Withdrawn Land within Fountain Gardens, Paisley The Star Project 23/01/2019 Approved Lease Concluded Land within On-X, Linwood Kilbarchan Amateur Athletics Association 23/01/2019 Approved Lease Concluded Kirklandneuk Playing Fields & Pavilion, Renfrew Renfrew Victoria Youth Football Club 20/03/2019 Approved Lease Outstanding Viewfield Park & Pavilion Viewfield Rovers FC 20/03/2019 Approved Lease Concluded Viewfield Park & Pavilion Lochwinnoch Development Trust 20/03/2019 Refused Lease N/A Former Public Toilets, Robertson Park Renfrew Kustom Kruisers 29/05/2019 Approved Lease Concluded Stirling Drive, Linwood ( Shale Bing Site) Linwood Community Development Trust 2020 Refused Lease N/A Barnbrook Farm, Lochwinnoch Up 2 Us 2020 Refused Lease Review/Appeal Upheld Howwood Park Pavilion Friends of Howwood Park Ltd 27/01/2021 Approved Lease Concluded 03/2024 Lease extended 10/2024
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PUBLIC India Tyres Playing Field, Inchinnan Inchinnan Development Trust 15/06/2022 Approved Lease Concluded March 2024 Woodlands Bowling Club, Linwood Woodlands Community Bowling Club SCIO 31/08/2022 Approved Transfer Ownership Concluded February 2026 Ralston Community Sports Centre, Paisley Kelburne Hockey and Community Sports Club 31/08/2022 Refused Lease Review Upheld Whitehaugh Barracks, Paisley Western Desert Recce Group 15/03/2023 Approved Transfer Ownership Concluded June 2024 Site, Lochhead Avenue, Lochwinnoch Lochwinnoch Community Development Trust 24/05/2023 Approved Lease Concluded December 2024 Site, Candren Road/Bridge Street, Linwood Linwood War Memorial Association 30/08/2023 Approved Lease Concluded December 2024 Site, On-X, Linwood Linwood Community Gardens Ltd 30/08/2023 Approved Transfer Ownership Withdrawn Site, Mansfield Avenue, Houston Bee Happy 24/01/2024 Approved Management Rights Withdrawn Erskine Community Allotments Erskine Community Allotments SCIO 24/01/2024 Approved Transfer Ownership Concluded March 2026 Site, Kilpatrick Drive, Erskine Erskine Arts 28/08/2024 Approved Lease Outstanding Calderglen Playing Fields, Lochwinnoch Calderglen Community SCIO 28/08/2024 Approved Transfer Ownership Withdrawn Land, 49 Beardmore Cottages Inchinnan Development Trust 06/11/2024 Approved Transfer Ownership Outstanding Renfrew Cricket Field, KGV Renfrew Cricket Club 06/11/2024 Refused Lease Review Upheld Falcon Day Centre Pachedu Multicultural Hub 19/03/2025 Approved Transfer Ownership Concluded May 2026
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PUBLIC Site, East Beardmore Cottages Inchinnan Development Trust 21/05/2025 Approved Transfer Ownership Concluded April 2026 Beechwood Community Centre Your Community, Your Space 21/05/2025 Approved Transfer Ownership Outstanding St Ninian's Church Hall Ferguslie Community Development Trust 21/01/2026 Refused Lease Ongoing Review Houston Road Park Pavilion, Bridge of Weir Bridge of Weir Men's Shed N/A N/A Transfer Ownership Withdrawn