SLCC urges Government to make it easier to transfer land from principal councils

The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) has asked housing and local government minister Baroness Taylor to make it easier to transfer land and buildings from principal councils in England to parish and town councils in their areas.

They want her to amend Circular 06/03 issued under the Local Government Act 1972 General Disposal Consent (England) because of misunderstandings about how assets can be transferred between tiers of local authorities.

The society said its letter was prompted after clerks encountered principal councils referring to ‘community asset transfer’ “which is a loose term not based in statute”, which highlighted the lack of a common understanding of how assets and services can effectively be transferred from principal councils to local councils.

It said a simple change in the guidance could establish a default mechanism for these transfers, which emphasises that transfers to local councils retain public ownership and community governance.

In the letter, SLCC board chair Adam Keppel-Green said: “Circular 06/03 currently permits the disposal of land below market value under specific circumstances, with a restriction that the difference between the unrestricted value of the land and the consideration for the disposal does not exceed £2 million.

“The SLCC believes that adding an unrestricted condition to enable transfers to another local authority - specifically town, parish, or community councils within the principal council's area - would significantly reduce bureaucratic barriers. This change would retain public ownership and community custody of these assets, facilitating the onward devolution of ultra-local services and assets in line with the government's intentions.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been contacted for comment.

Mark Smulian