Welsh Government
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New guidance helps communities take local facilities into their own hands
New guidance which will help community groups who wish to take on the management of local facilities which are under threat of closure, such as leisure centres and libraries, has been launched recently by the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates.
The guidance is aimed at supporting community groups who are interested in taking over a local facility, with step by step guidance on a range of issues from developing a community group, producing business plans and accessing expert advice and funding.
The new Community Transfer Asset Toolkit has been developed as part of a commitment by the Deputy Minister to work with local authorities to reduce the impact budget challenges may have on the future of sport, arts and cultural facilities in communities across Wales.
“With local authorities facing increasing financial pressure, it is an unfortunate reality that some services will suffer. I am concerned about the impact this will have on sports and cultural facilities in our communities and am committed to working with local authorities to reduce the impact as much as possible.
“There is a real willingness in Wales to make the asset transfer process work for the benefit of communities, but there is a lack of knowledge about the process, about funding sources and about where to go for specific support. The guidance I will launch today has been developed to address this lack of knowledge and support communities to protect the under-threat services that matter to them.”
The Deputy Minister said:
The Deputy Minister will welcome comments from those who use the guidance on how they found the process and what could be improved so it can continually be updated and made as effective as possible.