Agenda item

To consider a proposed framework for the expenditure of the CIL for the Council.

The Planning Monitoring Team Leader presented the report on Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – Framework for CIL Expenditure. The main points highlighted were as follows:

·       The report contained a framework for expenditure allocations, as set out in Appendix A.

·       The proposal was for £1m of the currently held funds to be released for local bids.

·       Contextually, the Council’s CIL programme began in 2014 and saw CIL charges introduced in 2015. The current CIL pot stands at around £7million, excluding other money released to Towns & Parishes.

·       The proposed release of £1m would allow the Council to achieve its strategic aims across the District whilst seeking improvements to local infrastructure.

·       Further CIL contributions were expected to be received over the next 5 years, due to the development of the Council’s strategic sites.

·       The Officer’s report also recommended publishing a guide for Towns & Parishes, providing advice on how to spend their CIL allocations, which in some cases could be 15-25 of CIL, depending on whether they have a neighbourhood plan.

·       The final proposal was for a Task and Finish Group to be created in order to advise the Portfolio Holder on how to spend the allocated £1m.

Questions:

·       Clarification was sought on the current level of CIL monies held by the Council and what amount was currently allocated to projects across the District. it was clarified by the Officer that £8mil had been invoiced to developers but only £7mil had been received at present. Currently, CIL expenditure is primarily allocated towards habitat mitigation and the Council spends £800,000 on this per year. The Panel were told that the Council was now in a position to open this CIL funding further.

·       Following a member question, the Officer explained that developers don’t pay CIL on affordable housing or where a home is extended/built for wn use although this comes via an application for relief whereby they will need to meet certain criteria. It was clarified that communities that have affordable housing can apply for this CIL funding as CIL is not ringfenced to be used within the direct area that the development occurred.

·       The Panel were supportive of the recommendations in the report.

RESOLVED

That the Scrutiny Panel considers the report and recommends to Cabinet that they:

·       Agree to the proposed introduction of a framework for CIL expenditure to align funds to identified infrastructure needs.

·       Agree to release £1m of CIL in 2023/2024 to fund local infrastructure in the short term.

·       Agree to the publication of the parish council CIL information note at Appendix C.

·       Agree to the proposal to report back to Cabinet by the end of the calendar year 2024 with a review of the allocation of the £1m and to finalise the framework for future years.

Agree to establishing a Task and Finish Group to review the proposed CIL allocations so that they may directly advise the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy. The terms of reference and composition of the Group will be agreed by the Leader of the Council in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy, as an Executive Advisory Task and Finish Group.