The Nature Of Groups Providing Community Sports
The range of voluntary and community organisations which might be considered for asset transfer is very broad. A Public Sector Organisation might find itself considering anything from a branch of a large national charity to an informal group of three or four individuals acting in a voluntary capacity.
The size and experience of the organisation may not necessarily impact on its ability to manage the asset successfully as the organisation may adapt to fit the challenge. However, the nature of the organisation will almost certainly impact on the process of asset transfer itself.
When beginning a discussion with a group about it taking on an asset a Public Sector Organisation may have to adapt to the group’s specific circumstances – for example:
The following elements about the organisation will need to be taken into account by the public sector organisation considering them for asset transfer and may warrant flexibility in the way of working:
- Paid staff: an organisation which does not have paid staff may not be reachable during office hours. Shortage of dedicated staff may also mean that things happen much more slowly than envisaged.
- Community involvement: the need for community involvement (such as in trustee meetings) may mean that meetings have to be held outside office hours.
- Skills and experience: A small organisation may have no prior experience of any of the elements of asset transfer – eg negotiating with the council; purchasing land; dealing with the planning department and so forth. For the transfer to run smoothly, and for the recipient organisation to have the best possible start, it may be important to support them through these areas of work and others. Allocating sufficient staff time within the PSO to the transfer process at the start will reduce frustration for both parties later on.
All of these aspects can present a challenge to the Public Sector Organisation wishing to transfer an asset. However these factors do not mean 'don't do it'. Holding an initial meeting to outline the transfer process, discuss the group’s ideas and identify the limiting factors is an important first step in reducing future difficulties.