Urban, rural and region - Same Difference?

SURF seminar, Perth

7 November 2006

Alasdair McKinlay

Learning Connections Manager

Communities Scotland

Outline

• Asset ownership and Communities Scotland

• Opportunities

• What works

• Same difference?

Registered Social Landlords

• have loads of assets, 177 landlords own almost 260,000 homes ;

• are regulated; • have stable income streams;• have professional staff and support

structures; SFHA, SHARE, EVH

• Role not limited to housing

RSLs

• Audit Scotland found post stock transfer:

- Tenants consider the service is better

-Transfers have promoted greater tenant control

RSLs’ Wider Role

• Between April 2003 and end March 2006 £5.518m of WR funding had been spent supporting the development, purchase and creation of community assets

• Most are RSL owned multi purpose community facilities (the majority in Glasgow but with a spread right across the country)

RSLs’ Wider Role

• However there are some examples of community transport, work on renewable energy proposals, community owned workspaces, recycling centres

• WR funding always part of a wider package of funding

Futurebuilders

• Not all community based organisations

• But, are social economy and often targeted at communities of interest

• Over 60% of Investment Fund invested in urban areas and overall £11m invested in asset development

Futurebuilders

• Sense Scotland, £250,000 towards a £3.6m scheme to refurbish and renovate an office block in Kinning Park, Govan

• Inspire, £350, 000 towards a £1.6m new-build in Aberdeen

• Asset ownership as a way of increasing sustainability

Development Trusts

• Less active in urban areas and tend to be smaller scale

• But this changing

• Support to DTA Scotland to expand their work in Urban areas

Opportunities

• Capacity building to support BLF’s Growing Community Assets programme

• £250,000 per year 06/08 initially targeted at West central Scotland

• Focus on smaller groups with less capacity

• Make strong links to local Social Economy Partnerships - and do National development work

Opportunities

• Development and implementation of guidance and regulations on disposal of public sector land

• Social Investment Scotland, bespoke loan responses to community need

What works

• Role of RSLs can be very positive

• Not just as leaders, but as advisers and supporters

• Expertise in property development and management

• Can spin off new social enterprises, for example Development Trusts

What Works

• Supportive public sector

• As paying tenants, or by delivering mainstream services from assets

• Transferring assets

• Building community capacity

Same Difference?

Similarities?

• need to be business like; • need for ongoing revenue income; • need broad community buy in;• Technical issues in asset development

and management - whether buildings or land

Same difference?

Issues/Differences?

• Scale - Greater Easterhouse vs Gigha - defining urban communities in relation to assets

• Community organisations’ confidence and capacity and who builds it

Same difference?

• Generating revenues in the most disadvantaged areas - for example finding tenants, running money making businesses

• Risk of narrow focus on buildings? For example community centres?