Urban Community Land Gathering Tuesday 29 th January 2019 Pearce Institute, 840-860 Govan Rd, Glasgow G51 3UU Upcoming events 11 th February – Webinar: Urban greenspace in community ownership 26 th February - Community ownership training for intermediary organisations – Glasgow February - Urban community landowners site visits – Glasgow and Edinburgh – Dates tbc 21 st & 22 nd June - Community Land Scotland Annual Conference 2019 – Isle of Skye #urbanland19 @CommunityLandSC Wifi – Pearce Network Password – Pearce1905
Urban Community Land Ownership #urbanland19 @CommunityLandSC We have been working with aspiring and post-acquisition urban community landowners • to build a knowledge base on urban community landownership • raise awareness of the work of urban communities • improve future infrastructure.
Urban Community Land Gathering #urbanland19 @CommunityLandSC This Gathering is a key event in bringing together groups, projects, agencies and funders involved in this area of work. The aims of the Gathering are twofold: • For people to meet each other to share experience and aspirations • To frame the agenda for CLS and its partners to provide support for this work across Scotland i.e. What are the key issues we all face? What support is needed? Where does influence need to be applied to decision-makers and funders etc.?
The Knoydart Foundation – 20 years of community ownership
Why community ownership? • Series of poor landlords • No security of tenure for homes or business • No investment in infrastructure, in particular the hydro ( not grid connected) • Transient population • No say in decision making – decisions taken remotely • Community ownership seen as only options for securing the future
1999 – Knoydart Foundation then ……….. • Own 5 residential properties • 1 hydro ( not grid connected) – key driver • 1 bunkhouse • Lots of land and old buildings • 3 staff • 2 trading subsidiaries • Population around 70
1999 – ££££……..financially……….. • Money in Foundation bank account (from fundraising for buyout) – but needed to be invested in hydro refurbishment. • 2 trading subsidiaries ( both needing support of parent charity) • Dependant on lottery for revenue support • Apart from grants, income was from property rental (and bank interest)
2019 – What we do now ………….. • Electricity supplier and distributer • Ranger service • Deer manager ( commercial stalking, woodland stalking, • Private landlord ( of 11 affordable homes and several commercial properties) • Butcher, off license • Water supplier, sewage management
2019 – Achievements ………. • 11 residential properties, providing affordable rented housing ( more options still needed – lack of housing is an issue. • 2 shared equity plots sold • 4 shared equity plots due to start planning • Hydro functional but still requires constant investment – looking to raise 2 million for replacement works . Looking at load management systems, flow battery trial,etc • Bunkhouse upgraded through volunteer effort and employment of quality wardens. Building itself is an issue • 11 staff ( 13 different jobs, most part time) • 250 Friends of Knoydart • Buildings utilised for local businesses • Land leased for local businesses • Community shop established providing base for local crafts, venison products - and now an off license! • Venison processing • Community maintenance company established as independent CIC • Ranger service offering guided walks, cycle hire, low key campsite, walks leaflets, landrover tours • Community garden active • New water and sewage systems installed • Broadband provision through Hebnet • Active deer management group with current deer management plan • Deer management breakeven through commercial stalking • Population 115
2019 - ££££……… financially…… • Trading company generating surplus back to parent charity/reinvesting in own business • 15 different sources of income • Finance manager recruited • Several small scale cost centres • Reasonable reserves – but ongoing investment is an issue in infrastructure ( buildings, tracks etc) – new ops manager post key • 1 post has some revenue grant support – the rest are self supporting
Lessons learnt • ‘Success’ can bring its own issues • Community expectations ( and assumptions) • Communications /consultation /engagement • Learning to say no • Clarity on priorities ( current planning activity) • What are we? – charity, development trust, social enterprise, community council, social service, service provider? • Learn to make the most of what you have got – small scale improvements can make a differance
Community Ownership Linda Gillespie
Development Tru rusts Association Scotland ▪ National trade association & peer learning network ▪ Formed in May 2003 ▪ Independent charity ▪ 268 Members Also delivers ▪ Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) ▪ Community Shares Scotland (CSS) 14
Community Ownership Support Service Funded by the Scottish Government to - ▪ Help community-based groups take ownership, lease or management of public assets for community benefit – asset transfer ▪ Support pubic bodies (relevant authorities) to transfer assets into community ownership 15
COSS Support One to One • Whole of Scotland • Advisors on the phone, via e-mail and face-to- face support for groups • Expert help – land searches - advice on title and lease terms. • Facilitate SULU • Deliver training courses
www.dtascommunityownership.org.uk
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COSS Support Early Stage Development Support - Phase 1 & 2 ▪ Ongoing mentoring Asset Transfer – local processes – contacts ▪ Tools and templates for community consultation - ideas generation - feasibility study – governance structures ▪ Networking to other groups -learning journey support ▪ Signposting to appropriate development funding and support services 19
COSS Support Development Support – Phases 3 & 4 ▪ Ongoing mentoring – sounding board ▪ Training, tools and templates - business planning, managing contractors, facilities management ▪ Signposting to appropriate funding and support services ▪ Expert Help ▪ Support through formal asset transfer process - AT review and appeals process 20
Linda Gi Lin Gille llespie ie Community Su Support Se Service 01 0131 31 22 225 5 20 2080 80 linda@dtascot.org.uk lin 21
Community Land Scotland Urban Gathering 29 January 2019 22
Community Woodlands Association • Established in 2003 by ~50 groups. • Membership has grown to ~160 groups, the majority own their woodlands but a significant proportion lease or work in partnership (or are in process of acquiring). • ~30% “urban”. • Mission: to support new and existing community woodland groups to achieve their aspirations, and to promote and represent the sector. 23
Support • One-to-one: face to face, email, telephone. • One-to-many: information and guidance notes. • Training events: wide range of practical and governance topics. • Annual conference: likely to be in central Scotland next year. • Regional networking events, including one for Central Scotland groups at Blackridge on 15 February. 24
Funding • Forestry Commission Scotland Community Fund • Community Learning Exchange • Pockets and Prospects • Making Local Woods Work Plus guidance and support with a wide range of other funding streams: WIAT, SLF, etc. 25
Eli ligibility • Membership of CWA is open to constituted community woodlands groups: i.e. any democratic, community-led organisation engaged in aspects of woodland management on their own or in partnership with others. • If you are going to acquire woodland then you will need to be incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee, a SCIO or a Community Benefit Society. 26
At t what stage should you get in in touch? As soon as possible! jon@communitywoods.org chris@communitywoods.org www.communitywoods.org www.facebook.com/Communitywoods/ 27
Supporting Urban Community Ownership 29 th January 2019 Kirsty Tait
The Scottish Land Commission Vision: “a fair, inclusive and productive system of ownership, management and use of land that delivers greater benefit for all the people of Scotland” Objectives: Productivity - driving increased economic, social and cultural value from our land Diversity - encouraging a more diverse pattern of land ownership that spreads the benefits of land more inclusively Accountability - ensuring that decisions about land take account of those affected and that responsibilities are met
Productivity- Land for housing and development
Diversity of land ownership Community Ownership and Community Right to Buy Review and Recommendations to Ministers -Nov 2018 • Vision -community ownership should become mainstream and normal • A means to delivering wider development and regeneration outcomes • Shift community acquisition from being reactive to proactive • Negotiated transactions between a willing seller and willing buyer being the norm • A recognition that community ownership is entirely normal
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