Communities are increasingly expected to take responsibility for assets or local services as a result of cuts to the public purse. In light of the above, Arloesi is now working with communities in Gwynedd to trial and learn about different models of transferring services to local residents.

Many communities in Gwynedd (e.g. Dyffryn Ogwen, Nefyn & Llanymstumdwy) face losing services such as the libraries and the Lloyd George museum unless the community owns those buildings/ services. In order to ensure the sustainability of those assets or services, it is becoming increasingly apparent that communities need to be able to identify additional income streams to sustain them in the long term.

The aim of the project was to pilot a series of new services in order to identify potential income streams for communities. As with other LEADER projects, priority was given to working with a small number of communities, piloting different methods and ideas and sharing them with other communities in Gwynedd.

In Gwynedd the work was undertaken initially with the 6 communities who have been invited to be part of the open call – Dyffryn Ogwen, Llanystumdwy, Bala, Barmouth, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Nefyn.

The project included the following:

1. 1. Developing an initial ‘menu’ of services that can be delivered in communities.The services will fall into one of the following three categories: –
   a) leasing machines e.g. tea/ coffee machine or “vending machine”
2. b) holding sessions (2-3hrs) within different fields (e.g. digital)
3. c) offer new services such as ‘library of things’ or ‘repair cafe’.The initial menu will be a way of identifying the type of services that are possible within the LEADER remit.

Communities will have the opportunity to choose 2 ideas from this menu or be invited to come up with new ideas, and work with Arloesi staff to ensure they are practically possible. Every effort will be made to ensure that different services are piloted in each of the communities.

2. 2. Co-ordinating and running a series of sessions/ pilot activities in each community

3. 3. Market Research – The communities will be expected to undertake market research as part of the pilot in order to collect data on the following (an agreement will be developed to ensure the community’s commitment to the work):- numbers attending or using the service
   – reasonable fees to charge for the service
   – the setting is suitable etc.The aim of the research would be to identify whether the services piloted are an option for attracting additional income in the medium/ long term.
4. 4. Promotion

All the activities will be filmed, and all filming as well as market research will be available to other communities within the County, and beyond, to consider additional/ different and innovative income streams.

5. 5. Information sharing eventAn event will take place at the end of the project to share information, successes and lessons learned with other relevant communities and stakeholders within the County.