Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015: asset transfer guidance for authorities

21. Reporting

21.1. Section 95 of the Act requires every relevant authority to publish an annual report setting out the numbers of asset transfer request received and their outcomes. The report must state:

• how many asset transfer requests were received
• how many requests were agreed to or refused
• for requests agreed to, whether they resulted in transfer of ownership, lease or conferral of other rights
• for appeals relating to requests made to the relevant authority, how many have been allowed, dismissed, or have resulted in any part of the authority's decision being reversed or changed
• where decisions made by the authority have been reviewed, how many have been confirmed, modified or substituted by a different decision.

21.2. The report must also describe anything the relevant authority has done to promote the use of asset transfer requests and support community transfer bodies to make requests.

21.3. Annual reports cover each year from 1 April to 31 March and must be published by 30 June. Note that the report will show the number of requests received in that year and the numbers agreed to or refused in that year - the figures will not be the same as many requests may be received in one year and decided the next year.

21.4. The first annual reports are not required until 30 June 2018. The Commencement Order provides that these should cover all requests received from the scheme coming into force up to 31 March 2018.

21.5. In addition to the information required by the Act, the Scottish Ministers may request further details to provide information on progress towards the target of 1 million acres in community ownership, and other policy issues. Scottish Government officials will contact relevant authorities directly about this, and will provide a standard form to record the information required.