Council buildings

Introduction

The Land and Building Assets report provides information about the Council’s assets in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the Local Government Transparency Code 2015.

This information is in Downloads.

Corporate Property - Asset Management Plan

Asset Management is the process which ensures that optimal use of land, property and non-property assets is achieved in accordance with the drive for efficiency, Annual Plan priorities and best practice. The Somerset County Council Asset Management Plan details our strategy for, and management of the County Council’s assets. It sets out the Somerset background, organisational arrangements and links to:

Corporate and service management, planning, goals and objectives
Asset policy management and planning
Asset management
Performance and monitoring

Better use of assets can help the council and communities achieve improved outcomes and efficiencies. The Policy for Community Asset Transfers was adopted on 14 December 2011 and was reviewed in September 2014. It sets out the criteria, principles and process for when the council considers the transfer of land, buildings or assets into the ownership or management of a Voluntary, Community Sector (VCS) organisation or social enterprise.

It aims to assist officers and members to balance:

The needs of the community
The capacity and role of the organisation receiving the asset
The interest of the County Council and the wider Somerset community

If we decide to dispose of a property, this may involve a sale at full or less than market value price, a lease agreement that can lead to a full asset transfer or we can use the formal Community Asset Transfer process where the proposal seeks to meet our critical aims and objectives.

The evaluation process for a request to acquire a County Council asset under the special provisions of a Community Asset Transfer is in two stages. The first is through an initial Expression of Interest Form which you can find under Information and resources. This is used to assess the significance to us of the community benefit from the activities proposed. The second stage focuses on the financial sustainability of the proposal where the community benefit might warrant a disposal with a significant cost reduction from the market value of the asset. Applications which fully satisfy the first stage will be invited to submit further information to enable the second stage assessment to be made. Applications which are not deemed suitable for a Community Asset Transfer may still qualify for some financial reduction.

Assets of Community Value

The Community Right to Bid came into effect on 21 September 2012. It gives community organisations the right to identify assets they believe are of value to their community and nominate them to be listed on the Council’s Register of Assets of Community Value. If the asset then comes up for sale, the community will be given time to make a bid to buy it on the open market. The legislation does not guarantee that the community will be able to buy the asset it just allows them some time to prepare a bid for it on the open market.

For more information about how to nominate an asset of community value visit your local authority website:

South Somerset District Council

Mendip District Council

Somerset West and Taunton Council

Sedgemoor District Council

Terms and conditions of access and re-use

Material published and accessed on our website is provided free of charge. Unless otherwise stated, this content is © Copyright of Somerset County Council. The information is made available for re-use under the terms of the Open Government Licence for public sector information. Provided you accept the terms of this licence, it is not necessary to ask permission to re-use this information.

We own and operates commercial properties in:

Frome Enterprise Centre, Keyford Court, Manor Furlong, Frome, BA11 4BD (contains 16 units in total)
Barle Enterprise Centre, Dulverton, TA22 9AA (contains 12 units in total)
Market Enterprise Centre, Wheddon Cross, TA24 7DT (contains 7 units in total)
Minehead Enterprise Centre, Minehead, TA24 5AE (contains 6 units in total)

If anyone is interested in renting out a unit for a business they must contact Torbay Developments Agency on 01803 207948.