Resources: COSS Publications

Module One: Introduction to Community Asset Transfer

This module is the first in a series of six which have been produced by the Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) to support the sustainable transfer of publicly-held assets into community ownership. COSS is delivered by the Development Trusts Association for Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government.

Engaging in community asset transfer involves three core elements:

Examining the feasibility of an asset transfer
Planning for the asset transfer
Managing and sustaining the asset when acquired

This series of modules covers each of these areas and provides advice and guidance on making an application for asset transfer helping to ensure it is robust.

1 COSS module 1 - Introduction to Asset Transfer.pdf

Module One B - Introduction to Community Right to Buy

Provides communities with a introduction to Community Right to Buy. The guidance covers:

Which CRtB option is most appropriate for your community
An overview of the three CRtB processes
- Community Right to Buy Part 2
- Community Right to Buy - Abandoned, Neglected or Detrimental Land
- Community Right to Buy - Land to further Sustainable Development
Getting ready for CRtB
Four case studies from communities that have used the process
Tools and resources to help you on your journey

COSS Introduction to Community Right to Buy FINAL.pdf

Module Two: Feasibility

This module aims to provide organisations with the knowledge and practical skills required to explore the feasibility of engaging in community asset transfer. It focuses on a number of areas, including the user demand and organisational asset transfer readiness.

The core learning outcomes of this module are:

To understand the process of asset assessment
To gain knowledge on the factors impacting upon sustainability
To understand the importance of proving demand and ensuring strategic fit
To gain knowledge of the steps necessary to scope an asset and identify legal issues
To gain knowledge of building internal capacity to match the needs of the project
To understand how to conduct a risk analysis for the project
To understand the key components of a feasibility study

2 COSS Module 2 - Feasibility.pdf

Module Three: Business Planning

This module provides a guide to writing a business plan for a community organisation considering taking on an asset. It relies on the general principles used when preparing a plan for a new business. We use the term ‘business’ because taking on an asset will require you to adopt a business approach – whether you are a community development trust, charity or any social purpose vehicle.

3 COSS Module 3 - Business Planning.pdf

Module Four: Financial Planning

This module aims to provide participants with an understanding of financial planning in the context of community asset transfer and considers:

Costs/expenditure
Sources of income
Preparing financial projections
Investment appraisal
Financial stakeholder relationship management 4 COSS Module 4 - Financial Planning.pdf

Module Five: Governance and People

This module aims to provide participants with the knowledge and practical skills required to establish and maintain good governance in relation to the management or ownership of an asset. It focuses on a number of areas, including governance, building board capacity, effective leadership within the organisation and managing staff and volunteers.

5 COSS Module 5 - Governance and People.pdf

Module Six: Asset Management

This module aims to provide an introduction to running an asset effectively post-acquisition. It considers key issues such as premises management, maintenance and use, financial controls and sustainability, risk management, social value and good environmental practice. It relates strongly to the previous modules in this programme, which contain information to ensure that once you take control of the asset, regardless of tenure, you will be in a strong position to manage it successfully.

6 COSS Module 6 - Asset Management.pdf

Involving Your Community

A practical guide to the benefits and techniques for involving and consulting local communities in community asset based projects.

Last updated July 2020

Involving Your Community 2020.pdf

Beyond the Usual Suspects

Fundraising for the development and ongoing management of your community asset will be a key part of your early planning. If you haven’t done it before it can seem daunting. This guide aims to help you to establish a funding package; highlighting options to raise money beyond loan and grant funding. It has been updated in 2019 to reflect the recent changes to fundraising regulations.

DTAS Beyond The Ususal Suspects_WEB.pdf

Asset Transfer Route Map

This new PDF has been developed by Community Ownership Support Service (COSS). It is used by COSS advisors to identify where you are in the process, as laid down in Part 5; Asset Transfer, in the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. It helps to guide you through the steps along the way to achieving your goals. Side one of the poster shows the four phases of the asset transfer process and signposts each phase of the journey. Side two gives more detail and links to relevant information for each phase.

Asset transfer route map web.pdf

Your Church, Your Community (printer friendly version)

Guidance for communities exploring future uses for church buildings.

This guidance has been developed by the Community Ownership Support Service, Heritage Trust Network and Historic Churches Scotland to meet a growing need from communities for specific guidance around churches and accompanying land.Taking over a building of any type is a big step for a community and brings with it substantial responsibility. It can appear a daunting prospect, but this document has been designed to guide you through the process

2233 DTA Scotland Your Church Your Community Guidance 24pp Doc 20.6.23.pdf

Your church, your community

Taking over a building of any type is a big step for a community and brings with it substantial responsibility. It can appear a daunting prospect, but this document has been designed to guide you through the process.

DTA Scotland Your Church Your Community Guidance.pdf

Public toilets – the real cost of spending a penny

This publication has been produced in response to the concern about the closure of public toilets across the country and the awareness of the need for good public toilets to promote health, access and inclusion. Increasingly communities are looking at how they can become involved in saving or providing public toilets, so here we present some facts and examples of how other communities have gone about saving this service.

Below you will also find the accompanying webinar, delivered by Sandra Macaskill of CaskieCo, who has researched and written the publication for the Community Ownership Support Service, this webinar will draw on the experiences from urban and rural communities, discuss the issues to be considered and highlights some of the innovative approaches being taken.

Please note - this resource was written in 2018 and has not been updated to reflect guidance in relation to Covid-19

Public Toilets 2022.pdf