Community Asset Transfer Sub-committee - 19/01/2022

At a MEETING of the COMMUNITY ASSET TRANSFER SUB-COMMITTEE held remotely on 19th January, 2022.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Will DAWSON, Convener, in the Chair.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

The Sub-Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Act.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II COMMUNITY ASSET TRANSFER

There was submitted Report No 359-2021 by the Community Asset Transfer Group relative to an asset transfer request made under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) by Yusuf Youth Initiative (YYI) in respect of the Mitchell Street Centre, Mitchell Street, Dundee.

Having given consideration to the asset transfer request submitted by the Yusuf Youth Initiative, and a report submitted by the Community Asset Transfer Group, recommending refusal, and having then heard from representatives of the Yusuf Youth Initiative and the Community Asset Transfer Group, the Sub-Committee accepted the recommendations of the Community Asset Transfer Group and refused the request on the grounds that Yusuf Youth Initiative had not demonstrated the viability, sustainability and sufficiency of resources of their proposals.

The detailed reasons for this decision were as follows:-

- Lack of evidence of the robustness of the Business Plan submitted by Yusuf Youth Initiative in relation to the proposed transfer.

- Lack of evidence of current and long-term funding having been secured by Yusuf Youth Initiative to support the proposed transfer.

- Lack of evidence of sufficient funding having been identified by Yusuf Youth Initiative for the renovation and ongoing maintenance required by a building of this age, type, condition and size.

- Lack of evidence of Best Value, having regard to the value of the building and the anticipated social return on investment from the proposed transfer.

Mitigating actions proposed verbally by representatives of Yusuf Youth Initiative during the meeting (that a Property Survey should now be carried out by Yusuf Youth Initiative and if this disclosed works which Yusuf Youth Initiative could not fund the transfer should not proceed; that, if after the proposed transfer Yusuf Youth Initiative found they were unable to fund the operating and maintenance costs of the building, the building would be returned to Dundee City Council or transferred to a charity with similar aims to Yusuf Youth Initiative; that if the anticipated social return on investment was not achieved Yusuf Youth Initiative would agree with Dundee City Council on a mechanism for valuing the shortfall and pay that sum in cash to Dundee City Council) were not in accordance with the statutory scheme for community asset transfer and, in any event, not sufficient to address the above concerns.

Will DAWSON, Convener.