Matthew Buckham is a Community Assets Manager who is providing advice on community engagement and partnership working based on lessons learned from Affinity Sutton's asset transfer process. Some key challenges Affinity Sutton faced included limited staff and community knowledge, a lack of a formal asset transfer process, and decades of limited involvement that led to community apathy. Affinity Sutton has since implemented a more formal community asset transfer process involving community asset working groups and community business operator groups. Buckham advocates for further integrating community business operator input, making assets viable rather than just reducing liability, and utilizing capital projects and internet/intranet development to catalyze community ownership and engagement.

1. Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

2. Neighbourhood
Planning
A housing response
Matthew Buckham
Community Assets Manager

3. Key points to cover
Lessons ASH has learnt on community engagement
and partnership working as part of our asset
transfer process.
Advice and guidance from our experience that we’d
give for housing providers looking to engage
communities in a more formal neighbourhood
planning process.
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

4. Setting the scene – Affinity Sutton
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

5. Community Assets - formats
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

6. From Buildings to Assets
Service
Standards
(RAPs)
H&S Maintenance
Database &
Strategy
Comms. Community
Assets
Community Legal / Asset
Empowerment Transfer
ASG Priority
Finance
Areas
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

7. Challenges & Learning
- Communication (constant approach)
- Limited knowledge Staff & CBO’s
- Legal advice – no formal process for CAT
- Support and business planning (an offer)
- Asset Management – add hoc investment
- Decades of limited ASH input (Apathy)
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

8. Formal Community Asset Transfer Process
CAWG
CBOG - Stafford, Plymouth,
London, Borehamwood,
Middlesbrough.
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

9. Current approach to Assets Transfer
- Draft one stage asset transfer document.
- EOI forms supported by Neighbourhood
Investment Team and independent advisors.
- Hirers -> licence -> lease -> possible freehold.
- Clear process involving AS Legal team.
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

10. Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

11. Future Community Assets Management
- Integrated CBO input into strategy and action
plan development through CAWG.
- Making assets/CBO’s viable not liable.
- Utilise capital major works (£250k) as a
catalyst for revenue bid.
- Internet & Intranet development.
- Social enterprise development.
- Utilising land for effectively / development
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

12. Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

13. St Hugh’s Community Centre,
Anerly, London
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

14. Neighbourhood Planning
- Marketing/making an offer?
- Methods of engagement?
- Best practise, what does it mean in
practice? What can be done? CRTB/NP
St Hugh’s
- Building a sense of com’ ownership.
- Flexible to adapt to need.
- Change management – myth busting
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager

15. Thank you for your time, any questions?
Matthew Buckham Community Assets Manager