1 - CAT Request for Linwood Community Garden
Renfrewshire Council · 30 August 2023
Back to Community Asset Transfer Sub-committee — 30 August 2023 and its agenda
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1 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board Community Asset Transfer Subcommittee On: 30 August 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Community Asset Transfer Request – Linwood Community Garden, Brediland Road, Linwood PA3 3RB ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to ask the Community Asset Transfer Subcommittee to consider the request to transfer the existing Linwood Community Garden, Brediland Road, Linwood PA3 3RB to Linwood Community Gardens Ltd under Part 5 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the CAT Subcommittee:- 2.1 Consider the CAT request for the existing Linwood Community Garden, Brediland Road, Linwood PA3 3RB; 2.2 Agree to the transfer of the asset to Linwood Community Gardens Ltd. for the discounted purchase price of £1 subject to the conditions set out in paragraph 7.1 below; 2.3 Approve the renunciation of the existing lease from One Ren ; and 2.4 Authorise the Head of Economy and Development and the Head of Corporate Governance to conclude the sale at the purchase price above, and on such terms as required to protect the Council’s interest.
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2 3. Background 3.1 Part 5 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, hereinafter referred to as the Act, provides the right for community bodies to request outright ownership, short or long term lease or other rights over any land or property owned or leased by the Council. 3.2 The Act requires local authorities to assess requests transparently against specified criteria, and to agree the request unless there are reasonable grounds for refusal. 3.3 The CAT Officer Panel met to consider this request on the 22nd of August 2023. In accordance with the revised Scheme of Delegation (September 2022), the Panel agreed to recommend to the CAT Subcommittee that the application be approved subject to the conditions set out in paragraph 7.1 below. 4. Asset Details 4.1 The asset, which sits within land leased to One Ren for the Linwood Community Sports Centre, is defined in the attached site plan E3338b (Appendix 1). 4.2 The site has been fenced off as a community garden since 1996 when it was created by the popular television show, Beechgrove Garden. The garden was abandoned in 2012 and has become overgrown with very limited access since. 4.3 The site has no current or residual value in property / estates terms. 5. Linwood Community Gardens Ltd. (LCG) 5.1 LCG is a newly formed company, registered at Companies House, registration number SC772944. 5.2 The company was set up by Linwood Community Council as a vehicle to manage the community asset transfer of the gardens and achieved incorporation on 16 June 2023. 5.2 The Memorandum and Articles of Association for the company have been checked for the power to own and lease property. The company is community controlled with over 20 adult members and is fully compliant as a Community Transfer Body under the Act. 6. Community Asset Transfer Request 6.1 LCG are seeking ownership of the asset and have offered a purchase price of £1.00.
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3 6.2 If approved, LCG is seeking to secure a licence to occupy the site to clear the site and to begin preparatory works for the following years’ growing season and in order to draw down c. £10,000 funding from Green Spaces that was allocated earlier this year. Purpose 6.3 LCG intends to develop the site and restore it to its previous condition while opening the site back up to the full community and encouraging it to be seen as a safe space for all residents regardless of any protected characteristics. 6.4 The core purpose of the gardens will be to encourage local food growing and therapeutic gardening. 6.5 LCG intend to extend services through time and a period of natural growth and to work with local schools to bring young people into the gardens to engage with nature and learn about the environment around them alongside developing intergenerational projects between the schools and older residents who will be engaged in the gardens. 6.6 Over time LCG propose to develop the site and to upgrade the pathway for wheelchair access: to install a container for safe storage of tools and equipment; to clear the surrounding area and keep free from litter and dumped waste; and to introduce a “men’s shed”. 6.7 The full CAT request form is attached as Appendix 2. Community Benefits 6.8 Benefits proposed include: a) Regeneration – restoring and bringing back in to use a valuable community space; b) Public Health – proven positive impacts of gardening and access to outdoor space on the mental and physical well-being of adults and young people; c) Social Wellbeing – by creating a space accessible to all, the garden will contribute to community cohesion and provide opportunities for shared activity across generations; d) Environmental Wellbeing – by developing the area and keeping it in a good condition to the benefit of the area and the housing close by making it a better place to live; discouraging fly tipping and dumping of unwanted rubbish; growing fresh vegetables will benefit people’s health and wellbeing and increase the biodiversity of the area. Publication and Representations Received 6.9 The CAT request was validated on the 24th of July 2023 and was open for public representation until the 25th of August 2023.
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4 6.10 Only one formal representation was received which was in support of the application from the Secretary of Linwood Community Council. 6.11 The CAT Panel requested access rights to the site be detailed in the Heads of Terms and responsibility for any shared costs identified. If required the site plan of the subjects to be redrawn to incorporate the access path from Brediland Road (highlighted in green on the attached plan). 7. Community Asset Transfer Conditions 7.1 It is proposed that the following conditions be added to the CAT Decision Notice: Detailed rights and responsibilities in relation to access to the site and associated share of maintenance costs as appropriate; and Approval to sell the land subject to agreement of the One Ren Board to renunciate the lease, not to be unduly withheld. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community Planning Our Renfrewshire is well – the CAT supports the wellness and resilience of our citizens and communities. Our Renfrewshire is thriving – the CAT supports economic growth that is inclusive and sustainable; Our Renfrewshire is fair: addressing the inequalities that limit life chances.
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5 4. Legal (a) The CAT request and CTB comply with the requirements of Part 5 of The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. (b) A formal offer from the CTB must be received within 6 months of decision to approve. (c) Sale must be concluded within 6 months of a formal offer being submitted by the Club. 5. Property/Assets – As per this report. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights (a) 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 arising from the recommendations contained in the report because no groups or individuals have any involvement currently at the property. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – Not applicable. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact – Not applicable. 12. Cosla Policy Position – Not applicable. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) None. _________________________________________________________________ Author: Sandra Inrig, Programme Manager – Community Asset Transfer & Regeneration - 0141 487 1447; Sandra.inrig@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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1 COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 2015 ASSET TRANSFER REQUEST FORM IMPORTANT NOTES: This is a standard asset transfer request form which can be used to make a request to Renfrewshire Council. For assets owned by other relevant authorities, please refer to that authority’s own website. You do not need to use this form to make an asset transfer request but using a form will help you to make sure you include all the required information. You should read the asset transfer guidance provided by the Scottish Government before making a request. All forms and guidance documents are available to download from the Council’s Website You are strongly advised to discuss your proposals with the Council before making an asset transfer request. You can do this by contacting the CAT Single Point of Contact at communityassettransfer@renfrewshire.gov.uk. When completed, this form must be sent to: - The CAT Single Point of Contact Regeneration and Place Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1TT Or submitted by email to: communityassettransfer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Received 21/07/2023
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2 This is an asset transfer request made under Part 5 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 in relation to property owned, leased or managed by Renfrewshire Council. Section 1: Information about the community transfer body (CTB) making the request 1.1 Name of the CTB making the asset transfer request Linwood Community Gardens Ltd 1.2 CTB address. This should be the registered address (if you have one) or main correspondence address. Postal address: 310 Kintyre Avenue, Linwood 1.3 Contact details. Please provide the name and contact address to which correspondence in relation to this asset transfer request should be sent. Contact name: Andrew Palmer Postal address:310 Kintyre Avenue, Linwood Postcode: PA3 3JG Email: arpalmer61@hotmail.com Telephone: 07793531122 x☐ We agree that correspondence in relation to this asset transfer request may be sent by email to the email address given above. (Please tick to indicate agreement). You can ask the relevant authority to stop sending correspondence by email, or change the email address, by telling them at any time, as long as 5 working days’ notice is given. Renfrewshire Council takes the privacy of your personal data very seriously. For more information see our Privacy Policy. (Please tick to indicate agreement). ☐X We agree that information provided in this asset transfer request, including contact details, may ONLY be forwarded to relevant officers within Renfrewshire Council for the purposes of assessment and/or in order to provide specialist support to further the asset transfer request as appropriate. Contact details will only be forwarded with your consent for an explicit purpose. (Please tick to indicate agreement).
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3 1.4 Please mark an “X” in the relevant box to confirm the type of CTB and its official number, if it has one. X Company (with no fewer than 20 members) and its company number is SC772944 Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) (with no fewer than 20 members) and its charity number is Community Benefit Society (BenCom), (with no fewer than 20 members) and its registered number is Unincorporated organisation (no number) Please attach a copy of your constitution, Articles of Association or registered rules. 1.5 Has the organisation been individually designated as a community transfer body by the Scottish Ministers? No ☐X Yes ☐ Please give the title and date of the designation order: 1.6 Does the organisation fall within a class of bodies which has been designated as community transfer bodies by the Scottish Ministers (i.e. those listed above at 1.4)? No ☐ Yes X If yes what class of bodies does it fall within? Company Limited by Guarantee
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4 Section 2: Information about the land and rights requested 2.1 Please identify the land / property to which this asset transfer request relates. You should provide a street address or grid reference and any name by which the land or building is known. If you have identified the land on the relevant authority’s register of land, please enter the details listed there. It may be helpful to provide one or more maps or drawings to show the boundaries of the land requested. If you are requesting part of a piece of land, you must attach a map and give a full description of the boundaries of the area to which your request relates. If you are requesting part of a building, please make clear what area you require. A drawing may be helpful. Details of Property: - Linwood Community Garden, three word ref:- dripped, champions, ensemble 55.851998-4.502450 Address: - Brediland Road, Linwood. Footpath access off Brediland Road entrance road to On-X Postcode:- PA3 3RB
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6 2.2 Please provide the UPRN (Unique Property Reference Number), if known. If the property has a UPRN you will find it in the relevant authority’s register of land. UPRN:- To be confirmed See Site Plan E3338 attached
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7 Section 3: Type of request, payment and conditions 3.1 Please tick what type of request is being made: for ownership (under section 79(2)(a)) - go to section 3A for lease (under section 79(2)(b)(i)) – go to section 3B for other rights (section 79(2)(b)(ii)) - go to section 3C 3A – Request for ownership What price are you prepared to pay for the land requested: Proposed price: - £1 Please attach a note setting out any other terms and conditions you wish to apply to the request. 3B – request for lease What is the length of lease you are requesting? How much rent are you prepared to pay? Please make clear whether this is per year or per month. Proposed rent: £ per month / year (delete as appropriate) Please attach a note setting out any other terms and conditions you wish to be included in the lease, or to apply to the request in any other way. X
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8 3C – request for other rights What are the rights you are requesting? As part of this application Linwood Community Gardens Ltd is seeking to secure a licence to occupy in order to begin preparatory works and draw down funding from Green Spaces that has been allocated. Do you propose to make any payment for these rights? Yes ☐ No ☐X If yes, how much are you prepared to pay? Please make clear what period this would cover, for example per week, per month, per day? Proposed payment: £ Please attach a note setting out any other terms and conditions you wish to apply to the request.
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9 Section 4: Community Proposal 4.1 Please set out the reasons for making the request and how the land or building will be used. This should explain the objectives of your project, why there is a need for it, any development or changes you plan to make to the land or building, and any activities that will take place there. 4.1.1 Objectives of the Project: The community gardens has been situated in Linwood since around 1996 designed by Beechgrove, it then closed around 2012 and has only had limited usage for the past 11 years. Linwood Community gardens Ltd intends to develop the site and restore it to its previous condition, if not improving it while opening the site back up to the full community and encouraging it to be seen as a safe space for all residents regardless of any protected characteristics. Through encouraging all residents with an interest to use the site it is hoped we will be able to encourage greater community cohesion while providing a service that will benefit residents mental and physical health. 4.1.2 Why there is a need for your Project 4.1.3 Development / changes / modifications required Placement of a secure container to keep tools and equipment safe, better pathway for wheelchair access. Clear the surrounding area and keep free from litter and waste that had been dumped on boundary area. Longer term aspirations will be potentially to have parking facilities closer to the garden to make it more easily accessible and also potentially the installation of electricity into the site to enable us to operate more activities for the community from the site. 4.1.4 Activities that will take place The core purpose of the gardens will be to encourage local food growing and therapeutic gardening. Linwood Community Gardens Ltd intend to significantly extend these services through time and a period of natural growth. We intend to work with local schools to bring young people into the gardens to engage with nature and learn about the environment around them alongside developing intergenerational projects between the schools and older residents who will be engaged in the gardens. Through this process we are hopeful it will increase interconnections within the area and build out the community spirit. We will also be introducing a men’s shed within the garden to encourage active participation from a demographic that often does not actively engage within community activities. This group will have a wide focus around developing items for the gardens benefit but also looking at potentially how they can assist the wider community.
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10 Finally, we will hold community events throughout the year to provide an opportunity for new people to engage within the gardens and have a full understanding of what we are trying to achieve. These events will be open to everyone from the community and will actively promote the health benefits of being outdoors, gardening and social interaction. We will aim to work with public sector partners on these events so that a wide range of information is available and a natural connection point is made between our community and the public services who can support it. 4.1.5 If the asset is to be used by the public it would be helpful if you could provide details of letting’s policy and opening times Linwood Community Gardens will have opening hours as determined by the board and members of the organisation. Within these hours there will always be a representative from the organisation present to ensure that all health and safety rules are being adhered to. Before participating in any activities within the gardens, participants will be asked to sign and agree to a pre-set code of conduct. Furthermore, as we will have partner agencies using the site (men’s shed, Milldale etc) each of these organisations will be asked to sign an agreed usage document which will determine what groups are able to do within the site, these organisations will be asked to do this as they will have access codes for the site so they can utilise the site on their own within pre-set agreed times. There is no intention to make this a publicly lettable space as the gardens would not lend itself to this but we will actively work with all partners in the area to ensure the gardens are utilised by the full community. 4.1.6 What provision will be provided for people with disabilities It is important to Linwood Gardens that everyone within our community is able to participate in the gardens and gain access to the benefits of it. To ensure this we will design the site to be disability friendly in conjunction with Milldale who we already have an active partnership with. We are fully committed to ensuring that accessibility becomes less of a challenge through development as currently there is no designated path to the gardens, this will be one of the first challenges we will look to address. The overall design of the site is relatively flat meaning there are no challenges once inside the site but through any development we will fully consider how any changes may impact accessibility and ensure that no decisions are taken that will reduce the ability for everyone to enjoy the gardens. We will also be installing/reinstating raised beds to ensure that wheelchair users or individuals with low mobility are able to get involved within the planting/caring responsibilities within the garden. 4.1.7 Any other relevant information? To ensure we are fully inclusive and no one is unable to participate due to financial barriers Linwood Community gardens will be purchasing tools and equipment for all users to access. This will be basic tools such as trowels, shovels, gardening gloves, rakes and anything else
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11 identified as crucial. Through making this equipment available we are hoping that no one feels unable to attend because of lack of equipment. These tools will be secured in the onsite container when not in use to ensure that it isn’t a constant expense of potential replacements. Benefits of the proposal 4.2 Please set out the benefits that you consider will arise if the request is agreed to. This section should explain how the project will benefit your community, and others. Please refer to the guidon how the relevant authority will consider the benefits of a request. Please explain how the project will benefit your community by detailing how your project will promote or improve: - The first and clearest benefit is that our organisation will enable the Gardens to be re- opened to the public through the safe-keeping, protection, and preservation of the Gardens which are such a valuable outdoor space with great potential to place itself at the heart of the community. 4.2.1 Economic development / income generation Any income would be used by the project to replenish any materials used. Although this project will have limited impact on economic development within the area 4.2.2 Regeneration The gardens are currently in a semi developed state, the area is not achieving its full potential to overgrowth and lack of maintenance. Linwood Community Gardens Ltd intend to develop the site, including the installation of a footpath leading to the site, increasing the numbers plants and food being grown on the site which will have a positive impact on the biodiversity of the area. 4.2.3 Public Health The British Psychological Society states that “Engagement in gardening activities (either integrated in the school curriculum or community and home based) has shown to promote social relationships, family connection, emotional and mental wellbeing, moderate stress, reduce depression and anxiety, and improve cognitive and educational outcomes in children and adolescents [4-6]. Further personal well-being effects include increased enjoyment, sense of achievement, satisfaction and pride from nurturing the plants; feelings of mastery and empowerment for children who do not excel in the traditional academic setting; provide quiet time for reflection and increased confidence and self-esteem [6]. Participating in gardening activities appears to have a similar positive impact on adult wellbeing and mental health, with improvements in life satisfaction, vigour, psychological wellbeing, positive affect, quality of life [7-9] and reductions in stress, anger, fatigue, depression and anxiety symptoms reported [9-11]. Engagement in gardening has shown to have both immediate and long-term
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12 effects on mental health outcomes. Just gardening for several hours provides instantaneous reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms, while gardening daily is associated with reduced stress and increased life satisfaction [3].” Within the current environment of poor menta health, high stress environments (Cost of Living crisis, COVID Recovery) and continuously strained public services we feel that the reintroduction of Linwood Community Garden couldn’t be coming at a more crucial point. While we accept that it will not resolve every issue we feel it is a good place to start and have a positive impact within our community. Also, through building out our partnerships with public bodies and other organisations in the area we will build up a referral network so that when we are unable to support participants, we are able to refer onto a service that is able to. 4.2.4 Social / Wellbeing The community garden and how we intend to operate it will be designed so that community members are able to use it as a place to escape everyday life stressors. We will have areas of seating around the garden as well as structured sessions that will invite community members to come and talk to their neighbours. This approach alongside the intergenerational project above will mean that the community will have more opportunities to positively engage with each other in a tranquil setting. Through these informal engagements and more structured engagements we believe we will see a more connected community and a greater sense of community cohesion will the different generations having positive opportunities to engage and understand each other on a fuller basis than is currently possible within the community. 4.2.5 Environmental / Wellbeing / Environmental Benefits Developing the area and keeping it in a good condition to the benefit of the area and the housing close by making it a better place to live. Discouraging fly tipping and dumping of unwanted rubbish. Growing fresh vegetables will benefit peoples health and wellbeing. 4.2.6 Does your project contribute to the reduction in equalities? Please detail how. 4.2.7 Any other relevant information Restrictions on use of the land 4.3 If there are any restrictions on the use or development of the land, please explain how your project will comply with these. Restrictions might include, amongst others, environmental designations such as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSI), heritage designations such as listed building status, controls on contaminated land or planning restrictions. No restrictions have been identified at present.
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13 Negative consequences 4.4 Please identify any potential risks which may occur if your request is agreed to? How would you propose to minimise these? You should consider any potential negative consequences for the local economy, environment, or any group of people and explain how you could reduce these. No potential risks have been identified at present. Capacity to deliver 4.5 Please show how your organisation will be able to manage the project and achieve your objectives. This could include the skills and experience of members of the organisation, any track record of previous projects, whether you intend to use professional advisers, etc. Have you / your organisation managed projects or owned / leased land previously? As a new organisation we as a group have not leased or owned any land previously however the skillset of our board demonstrate that we are experienced in a wider range of areas that skillsets can be drawn from to successfully manage this asset. The land we a proposing to purchase also has limited liability as it has no permanent structures and has been used as a community garden space since around 1996. Please provide details of: - 4.5.1 Skills and experience of members of the organisation The board of directors currently has three directors; James is currently the Chair of the community council and has a wide range of experience in engaging, consulting and working with the residents of Linwood to increase access to services, operate events and ensure the communities views are represented in any decision- making processes within the area. Jim has also successfully operated his own business for a considerable number of years holding responsibility for day-to-day management of the business and its overall success. Jim has now retired from this role and will have time to commit to Linwood Community Gardens to ensure its successful development. David currently serves as a councillor within Renfrewshire Council and also works as a business consultant. Through David’s role within Renfrewshire Council he has a well developed understanding of good governance and we will carry this into our own organisation to ensure we operate under our articles of association and follow our policies that will ensure the safety of participants and upkeep of the asset. With David’s well developed knowledge of business we will look to utilise this skillset to move the garden towards a self-sustaining model so that the success of the garden is not hinged upon unreliable funding streams.
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14 Andrew is currently the treasurer of the community council. His involvement within the community council has not only provided a similar skillset to Jim in representing the community but has also developed skills within finance through tracking income vs expenditure. Using this combination of skills between Andy and David will ensure positive financial management of the asset and transparency to the local community around finances. Andy also works within Renfrewshire Council as a hall caretaker, using these skillsets we will implement a monthly review of the asset to identify any upcoming works required, any health and safety issues that may arise and development opportunities for the asset. We will also develop proper reporting structures for users of the garden to report any issues throughout the month so we can respond instantaneously to concerns. We are continuously recruiting new directors and members into the organisation currently. Currently we are speaking to a resident who has just completed her HNC in Landscape Design and is keen to put the qualification to use in assisting us with this project. We are confident there are more individuals with skillsets like these in our community that will allow us to build out the skills available to the organisations without having to pay for consultants. Using this approach ensures the project remains community led rather than outside influences potentially taking over this element. 4.5.2 Do you intend to use professional advisors? The initial redevelopment of the site will be to bring it back into use in its current format with an initial clean-up to make the site safe for the public. Through this time the aim is to recruit a local garden landscaper onto the board for any wider redesigns. If this is not possible, we will consider hiring a professional at that point for any wider redevelopments if we feel we do not have the correct skills within the board to achieve this. We will also work with our local partners who have expertise in accessibility around disabilities. 4.5.3 Do you currently lease / manage a property from Renfrewshire Council? If yes, please provide details No 4.5.4 Please detail how you plan to maintain the asset? The asset is of relatively low maintenance requirements so is not any area of concern for the organisation. Although it is of low maintenance we still recognise the need for the asset to be well managed. We will implement code of conducts for users of the garden and usage agreements for external organisations. We will have monthly reviews of the garden to identify the areas of priority for development and also any potential health and safety issues. On top of this we will be present in the garden nearly everyday so we will conduct dynamic risk assessments alongside creating pathways for users to report issues.
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15 The site will be kept locked when not in use and sits on a well populated area so we believe the chance of vandalism is low. We are also hopeful that by involving the full community it will not become a target as it will be viewed as a community resource. 4.5.5. Any other relevant information Section 5: Level and nature of support 5.1 Please provide details of the level and nature of support for the request, from your community and, if relevant, from others. This could include information on the proportion of your community who are involved with the request, how you have engaged with your community beyond the members of your organisation and what their response has been. You should also show how you have engaged with any other communities that may be affected by your proposals. 5.1.1 How many people are members of your organisation? Are they in agreement with this application? We currently have 20 members within our organisation. We conducted a survey using survey monkey. The survey monkey was put out to our members and the wider community. We received 36 responses to this consultation, the analysed response below is in relation to the community gardens taking ownership of the site; There was a 100% approval rate from the 36 respondents. 5.1.2 How many people are members of your community as defined in your constitution / governing rules? Are they in agreement with this application?
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16 We currently have 20 members of the organisation, as this organisation was founded to take ownership of this asset each of the members came onboard from the leaflet drop we carried out to around 500 houses. Individuals signing up to membership of the organisation is a display of support for the project and acquisition of the asset as this is what we promoted on the leaflet that was delivered. We fully believe this membership will continue to grow once we acquire the site and start to promote the projects and developments happening within the asset. 5.1.3 Have you consulted with other local stakeholder groups and agencies? Please provide evidence. This project was identified by the community council who were unable to move it forward due to their current structure. In agreement with them we have pursued this to bring the asset into community control for the overall benefit of Linwood. We have also held active discussion with Linwood who are supportive of our acquisition of this site. 5.1.4 Have you contacted local staff? If yes, please provide details of who No 5.1.5 Have you contacted any other communities that may be affected? We have not identified any other communities who would be impacted by this acquisition other than the communities we already hold active partnerships with. 5.1.6 Any other relevant information Section 6: Funding 6.1 Please outline how you propose to fund the price or rent you are prepared to pay for the land, and your proposed use of the land. You should show your calculations of the costs associated with the transfer of the land or building and your future use of it, including any redevelopment, ongoing maintenance and the costs of your activities. All proposed income and investment should be identified, including volunteering and donations. If you intend to apply for grants or loans you should demonstrate that your proposals are eligible for the relevant scheme, according to the guidance available for applicants. 6.1.1 Please show your calculations of the costs associated with the transfer of the land or buildings and your future use of it, including any redevelopment, ongoing maintenance and the costs of your activities. All proposed income and investment should be identified, including volunteering and donations.
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17 The most expensive part of this process is the initial transfer and setup of the community garden. We are currently exploring the options to cover the legal costs of asset acquisition. We have identified the community ownership support fund from DTAS that can assist with this and held initial conversations with our adviser who is positive in the potential to support us with the legal cost of acquisition. For the initial investment of tools, an onsite container and soil/plants we have identified to start the garden we have an award from Green Spaces for £4950 to cover these initial costs. Once the asset is acquired and operational from these initial setup funds we anticipate very low running costs on an annual basis. Currently the site has no electricity on site so there will be no regular overheads or liabilities attached to the asset. As the site grows this will likely change however with other organisations using the site we will split the costs with the other organisations on site. Through active discussions with local businesses we have identified a significant amount of support and potential support for materials such as soil and plants. Despite this level of local support we recognise that we cannot be fully reliant on donations and funding. To raise funds within our membership there is a charge of £1 per year for membership of the organisation, where this may seem menial due to the low operational costs this could prove to be a good source of income, we are also planning to generate income through holding opening days to sell plants, items made by the men’s shed (bird boxes, garden benches etc) and we will also sell seasonal items at these days such as X- Mas wreaths. 6.1.2 Please also supply details of what funding you have received so far, and any conditions attached. No funding has been received due to not having ownership of the site. 6.1.3 Details of funding you have applied for but are still waiting on a decision / response Green space funding grant £4,950 for the gardens and £4,950 for the establishing of a Men's Shed on the site. We have also held initial discussion with the Big Lottery around Awards for All who have indicated they would be likely to support the project which would be around £10,000. 6.1.4 Details of other funding i.e. voluntary donations, borrowing etc There are no intentions to borrow funds to develop the site. We will operate a donation box for individuals who are taking food away from the site, we wouldn’t want to set a charge on these items as we are looking to reduce food poverty within the are as part of our project. We will also accept donations of gardening from the local community and soil/plants from local businesses as long as we can verify the source and that it is safe to use. 6.1.5 Any other relevant information Any income generated by projects carried out by members will be used to replenish any materials used.
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19 Section 7: Other Supporting Documentation To enable the Council to fully consider your application, the following supporting documentation must be submitted as part of your application:- • A copy of your organisation’s Constitution, Articles or Association or other governing rules as appropriate; • A detailed business case (that is proportionate to the nature of the asset transfer request); • A financial projection of income and expenditure for at least three full financial years following the date of this request; • A copy of your organisation’s most recent audited accounts, where available (or a financial projection covering the current financial year where the applicant has been operating for less than one year); • Annual reports (where these are available). Applicants are advised to refer to the Scottish Government Community Asset Transfer Guidance for Community Transfer Bodies for further details of what information should be included in these supporting documents. https://www.gov.scot/publications/asset-transfer- under-community-empowerment-scotland-act-2015-guidance-community-9781786527509/
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20 Declaration and Signature Two office-bearers (board members, charity trustees or committee members) of the community transfer body must sign the form. They must provide their full names and home addresses for the purposes of prevention and detection of fraud. This form and supporting documents will be made available online for any interested person to read and comment on. Personal information will be redacted before the form is made available. We, the undersigned on behalf of the community transfer body as noted at section 1, make an asset transfer request as specified in this form. We declare that the information provided in this form and any accompanying documents is accurate to the best of our knowledge. “I understand that the details provided will be used by Renfrewshire Council for the purpose of assessing the asset transfer request and may be shared with Council Officers and Elected Members for the purposes of providing support in making the application or other purposes as appropriate. Further information on how the Council looks after personal information can be found here : https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/2201/Privacy-policy 1. Name Andrew Palmer Address 310 Kintyre Avenue, Linwood, PA3 3JG Date 20/07/2023 Position Signature 2. Name James McLeod Address 21 Greenhill Crescent Linwood PA3 3BY Date 20/07/2023 Position Signature
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21 Checklist of accompanying documents To check that nothing is missed, please list any documents which you are submitting to accompany this form. Section 1 – you must attach your organisation’s constitution, articles of association or registered rules Section 2 – any maps, drawings or description of the land requested Section 3 – note of any terms and conditions that are to apply to the request Section 4 – about your proposals, their benefits, any restrictions on the land or potential negative consequences, and your organisation’s capacity to deliver. Section 5 – evidence of community support Section 6 – funding Section 7 – Supporting Documentation