Welsh Government
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Welsh Assembly Government and Big Lottery Fund to work together to deliver Community Asset Transfer programme.

Deputy Minister for Regeneration Leighton Andrews and Huw Vaughan Thomas, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund have announced an agreement between the Welsh Assembly Government and the Big Lottery Fund to deliver a new Community Asset Transfer programme.

The aim of the fund is to help community groups acquire public buildings and facilities, and to refurbish them to suit their needs. The Big Lottery Fund will administer the fund and provide revenue funding, while the Welsh Assembly Government will provide capital funding. Organisations will be able to make applications from mid October this year.

The Deputy Minister said:

“I am delighted to announce our agreement to work with the Big Lottery Fund on the Community Asset Transfer programme. There are many public assets in Wales that are not being used to their full potential and empowering the community to use these buildings to suit their needs is the main aim of this initiative.

“This is a win-win situation. Disused and derelict buildings will be amongst those to be given a new lease of life and communities will have new facilities available to them for activities that can contribute to the regeneration of communities; improve partnership working between the public sector, the Third Sector and others; enable social enterprises to provide jobs and services in the community.

“This programme could see the disused school become a workspace for local artists or community enterprises, the old library turn into a hub for community organisations sharing back office resources, and derelict land transformed into a community garden or woodland trust. It is an example of partnership working at its best and I look forward to seeing the many projects we hope to help with this money. “

Huw Vaughan Thomas said:

“Our aim is to help more people benefit from their local community assets but also to generate local income and employment.”

“By working with the Welsh Assembly Government we have been able to maximise our joint impact and make life easier for applicants. There is one application process and the fund combines revenue and capital funding. It is a first for the Big Lottery Fund."

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