1. Forestry Commission Scotland Community Asset Transfer Scheme
Manchester December 2018

2. Under the Community Empowerment Act 2015 communities across Scotland were granted power to request a transfer of assets from Scottish Government bodies, either to purchase, lease or reach agreement to manage the assets, the bodies were tasked with creating a public process with agreed timetables to ensure that all applications were managed in a transparent manner.
Forestry Commission Scotland created a successor to the previously available National Forest Land Scheme the Community Asset Transfer Scheme (CATS)

3. Originating an asset transfer request two sources
Land notified to the community as on the disposal list
Land identified by the community as a possible purchase, lease or subject to a management agreement
All subject to the same basic processes:-
Supply information about the Community Body’s (CB) to allow validation of the status (community of interest or geographic community) could be Company Limited by Guarantee, CIC, Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO)
Identify community benefits
Create business plan
Consult with the community
In the case of sales there is a need to establish the independent valuation of the asset via an agreed joint valuation, normally using the District Valuer.

4. If application validated:-
Set Validation date
6 months from validation to reach a decision
Assessment and decision
Independent panel of advisers ( the Evaluation Panel) will appoint one or more members to visit the site and discuss the project with the group
The Panel will form a view based on
Benefits
Viability
Community support
Impact on the Management of the National Forest Estate
Make recommendation to Forest Enterprise
Chief Executive will make a decision – community can appeal to the Scottish Ministers
There are then up to 6 months to agree terms and complete (can be extended by agreement)

5. Final points
Key is to be able to demonstrate ideally with a ballot or with a petition that there is significant community support
That the project is deliverable and sustainable
The Evaluation Panel try to pick up and highlight any issues that they foresee and raise them with the CB but they are not there advise on solutions.
The decision on whether or not a discount to the market price can be allowed is for the Chief Executive although the Evaluation Panel will express a view.