Further to Minute 26 of the meeting held on 16 July 2018, the Director of Environment and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on the outcome of a public consultation on the allocation of the 15% local element of the Community Infrastructure Levy, and seeking approval for the allocation of funds.  The following Appendices were attached to the report:

·         Appendix A – Consultation outcomes

·         Appendix B – Local Areas

·         Appendix C – 15% local contribution by ward and zone

·         Appendix D -  Equalities Impact Assessment

The report explained that a consultation had been held between 20 July and 14 September 2018 on how the 15% ‘neighbourhood proportion’ of CIL raised in each of the four zones in Reading could be spent.  An online questionnaire on the Council’s website had listed a number of potential schemes for each of the four zones, and asked respondents to rank them in order of preference, with an opportunity to also suggest additional schemes. In total, there had been 347 responses to the consultation and the results were summarised in Appendix A. 

The report set out the top ranked schemes emerging from the consultation, with commentary from officers and a recommended allocation of funding to projects.  Subject to Committee approval the funds would be allocated to the relevant services in order to deliver the projects.  The costs of the schemes proposed were indicative and in some cases the projects would require more funds to complete, become funded by other means, or cost less than projected.  The report therefore sought authority for officers to make changes to the final spend allocations.

The report stated that it was considered that the results of the consultation would remain relevant and could be used to inform decisions on the allocation of 15% Local CIL in 2019.  A further and similar public consultation could then be undertaken for consideration of CIL allocations in 2020.

Resolved –

(1)     That the responses from the public consultation and top ranking projects be noted;

(2)     That the provisional allocations of projects receiving 15% Local Community Infrastructure Levy funding be agreed as below with a total allocation of £1.206m (from funds received up to 30 September 2018):

Central Zone:

          £16.1k  - ‘loan’ to the northern area to complete the Gosbrook Road zebra crossing

          £50k - Boroughwide enhancement to conservation areas

          £15k - refurbishment of the seating areas along Broad St

£10k - reinstatement of the Shopping Bags sculpture formerly at the   Oxford Rd/Butts junction;

£10k - a contribution towards the reinstatement in the town centre area of the Libby & co statue currently in storage at Darwin Close

£30k Dog fountain in St Lawrence’s Churchyard

          £100k - Ivydene Play Area Improvements

          £100k - Avon Place Play Area Improvements

North

£33k - Zebra Crossing on Gosbrook Road

South

£95k - Cintra Park play area improvements

£50k - Zebra crossing for access to the Ridgeway School 

£40k - Extension of 20mph zone Reading Girls School 

£155k - Improvements at Long Barn Lane Recreation Ground (this is a combination of Items K-7. & P-16)

£100k - Enforcement of 20mph areas

£50k - Signs for HGVs Elgar Road

£50k - Additional community facilities as part of, or near to, improved health care provision in Whitley Wood

West:

£700 - Southcote Community Centre improvements (new fridge freezer)

£1k - Southcote Community Centre improvements (new blinds)

£50k – 20mph zone and width restriction, Brunswick St and Western Rd

£30k – to reduce speeding on Southcote Road and Westcote Road

£65k - New outdoor gym, Coley Recreation Park

£15k - Improvements to double roundabout signing, Grovelands Road

£50k - Pedestrian Crossings, Oxford Road and Overdown Road

£88k – Improvements at Prospect Park

(3)     That the reallocation of funds (£16.1k) from the central zone to the northern zone be noted and approved, and that no further projects be approved in the north zone until this amount was recovered from further CIL local 15% funds arising in the north zone;

(4)     That the relevant Heads of Service be authorised to complete necessary procurement processes to deliver the programme of work;

(5)     That spend approval for the projects be given in accordance with the provisional funding allocations listed in (2) above, and that officers be authorised to vary the allocations in consultation with the Head of Finance and the Lead Councillors for Strategic Environment and Planning and Transport and Corporate and Consumer Services.