Issue - decisions

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

1. Approved a supplementary budget of £18,365;

2. Approved the list of projects at Appendix 1 for inclusion in the capital programme for 2026/27 with a total allocation of £1,018,365;

3. Authorised the Strategic Director for Place, Operations and Sustainability, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy, to make such amendments as they deem appropriate to the approved project lists within 10% of the total budget. Any such amendments will be reported to Cabinet via the financial monitoring reports; and

4. Approved the opening of the local infrastructure bid windows, for bids up to £100,000, for the 2027/28 financial year for two-months during Spring 2026.

KEY DECISION:

Yes

PORTFOLIOS:

Planning and Economy

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED/REJECTED:

As set out in the report.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

None.

DISCUSSION:

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy introduced the report and explained that 92 bids, totalling £3.8m in funding requests, had been submitted through the Local Infrastructure Projects 26/27 scheme.  After assessment using the CIL expenditure framework and review of the bids by the cross-party working group, a total £1m was recommended to various projects. The Portfolio Holder thanked members and officers for their time and work during the process. It was reported that the projects that would be supported by the fund ranged from school facilities, community amenities and environmental enhancements. Providing funding support to these various projects would support the corporate priorities. The Portfolio Holder explained that a supplementary budget of £18,365 was being requested, for the 2026/27 budget to fund the proposed projects with these totalling more than the £1m already approved in the budget.

The Planning Policy Infrastructure and Delivery Service Manager thanked everyone who had submitted bids and for those involved in the process of reviewing. He clarified that the supplementary budget of £18,365 would be part of the next financial year.

Other Cabinet members acknowledged the time and work invested in the process and the significant impact that the funding makes across the District.

There was particular recognition of the Calshot Road crossing point at B3053 Calshot Road adjacent to St George's Church, which had been identified to receive a £100,000 allocation which would enable safe crossing of the road and vital improvement to the area.

A non-Cabinet member asked for clarification on what NFDC can allocate CIL funding on across the Forest. The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economy responded by explaining that NFDC were allocating funding across various other projects, such as via the Strategic CIL fund and that the Council were keen to allocate funding efficiently to projects that could be delivered and provide positive improvements to the District.