Community asset transfer

How applications are scored

We assess applications based on the community benefits they offer and whether the organisation can manage the asset.

Must‑meet requirement

Your proposal must support at least one council priority, such as:

improving wellbeing
reducing inequality
supporting learning or skills
protecting the environment
strengthening the local economy

Applications that do not meet any priority cannot be approved.

What we score

We score applications on:

vision and leadership
local support and involvement
governance and accountability
use of money and resources
long‑term financial plans
equality and access

Higher scores can lead to larger reductions in the price.

Community asset transfer scoring criteria


What we score	What we look for	Score range
Alignment with council priorities	Your project must support at least one council priority. We score how strongly your project contributes to each priority it supports. Most projects align with two or three priorities. Applications that do not support any priority cannot be approved.	0–8 points per priority
Vision and leadership	A clear and realistic proposal with defined leadership roles. Strong applications show how the project will deliver lasting benefit, usually supported by a business or feasibility plan.	0–20
Community support and partnerships	Evidence that local people helped shape the proposal, strong local support, partnership working, links to local needs or plans, and ongoing community involvement.	0–20
Governance and accountability	Clear governance arrangements, transparent decision‑making, and ways for the community to stay involved and give feedback.	0–20
Use of resources	Plans that match the organisation’s skills and capacity, clear staffing or volunteer roles, a long‑term plan for using the asset, and positive community impact.	0–20
Performance and monitoring	Clear outcomes, realistic ways to measure progress, and a commitment to report back to the community and partners.	0–20
Long‑term sustainability	Realistic long‑term funding or income plans, understanding of costs and risks, and positive environmental impacts where possible.	0–20
Equality and access	Evidence that the project benefits the whole community, reduces barriers to access, considers different needs, and supports specific groups where relevant.	0–20

How the total score is used

the best value score is out of 140 points
the alignment with council priorities score is added to this
higher scores may lead to a greater reduction in the lease or purchase price
a high score does not automatically guarantee approval