Agenda item

Community Infrastructure Levy - 15% Local Contribution

This report updates on a number of aspects relating to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), in particular the 15% of collected CIL which should be allocated to the local area in which development takes place.

Minutes:

The Executive Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report providing an update on the use of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), in particular the 15% of collected CIL which should be allocated to the local area in which development takes place.  The following documents were attached to the report:

 

·       Appendix 1 – Equality Impact Assessment

·       Appendix 2 – Update on existing 15% local CIL projects

·       Appendix 3 – Schemes consulted upon in 2018 that did not receive funding

·       Appendix 4 – Amended CIL protocol

·       Appendix 5 – Proposed consultation on allocation of 15% local CIL

 

The report noted that following public consultation on a schedule of preferred projects the Committee had agreed at its meeting on 26 November 2018 (Minute 49 refers) an allocation of CIL to a range of projects in each neighbourhood zone.  Officers in consultation with the relevant lead councillors had been authorised to vary the provisional allocations within each zone and using this delegation additional funding had been allocated towards the High Street Heritage Action Zone project and proposed refurbishment of the seating areas in Broad Street (Decision Book 608 refers).  Attached to the report at Appendix 2 was a schedule of the projects that had been allocated funds so far and progress on their delivery.  A number of schemes had already been delivered and others represented longer term projects or delivery was expected to take longer.

 

The report explained that, of the £1.670m 15% local CIL collected up to the end of 2018-19, the allocation of £1.339m had been identified (£1.204m by Policy Committee in November 2018 plus £0.135m by Decision Book) and £0.332m therefore remained unallocated.  An additional £1.337m of 15% local CIL had been collected in 2019-20, meaning that there was £1.669m available to allocate.  There were a significant number of schemes included in the original schedule that had been subject to consultation in July 2018 which had not been allocated funds but were still both necessary and deliverable, and these were listed in Appendix 3.  These remaining schemes had been re-examined to consider deliverability, necessity and the degree to which infrastructure would relate to the areas where development was taking place, and an allocation of CIL funds to 19 schemes totalling £1.187m was recommended.  In addition, the High Street Heritage Action Zone project would need local CIL funding to make up much of the required match funding and an additional allocation of £0.275m was recommended.  The provisional allocation, to be subject to a further consultation, would therefore total £1.462m with the balance of £0.207m being carried over.

 

It was proposed and agreed at the meeting that an additional allocation of £0.095m be made for a Skate Park at Rabson's Rec, Northumberland Avenue, in place of the proposal for a Skate Park in Cintra Park.

 

The report explained the limitations of taking a strict zonal approach towards allocating 15% local CIL and proposed that the allocation of 15% local CIL already collected not be undertaken in strict accordance with the four neighbourhood zones.  As this differed from the zonal approach upon which the 2018 consultation had been based, it was proposed that the preliminary allocation be subject to further public consultation, as part of the consultation document set out in Appendix 5 attached to the report.  This consultation would be undertaken in March and April 2021 and reported back to Policy Committee for a decision on the final allocation.

 

The report also summarised difficulties that had emerged with the approach to consultation on and allocation of 15% local CIL, as well as the recommendations made by an audit report on the processes around local CIL, which had been taken into account in the proposed future approach to consultation and allocation of funds collected after 31 March 2020 (and any funds carried over from before that date).  This new approach would require amendment to the CIL protocol and a proposed amended protocol was attached to the report at Appendix 4. 

 

The report explained that the proposed new approach was to consult on general priorities every three to four years and use the outcomes as one of the main considerations in the annual allocation of CIL to specific schemes by Policy Committee.  Specific schemes would be put forward by officers from the relevant sections, but there would also be an opportunity for Councillors, community groups and members of the public to make nominations.  There would also be a move away from the four neighbourhood zones.  The proposed consultation document to identify future spending priorities for the next few years was attached to the report at Appendix 5.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)      That the progress on the projects benefitting from the 15% local CIL allocated by Policy Committee on 26 November 2018, as set out in Appendix 1, be noted;

 

(2)      That the following further allocations of 15% local CIL collected up until 31st March 2020 be agreed, with a total allocation of £1.462m:

 

£0.050m for town centre monuments and statues

£0.100m for war memorials and public art

£0.075m for Borough-wide graffiti removal project

£0.100m for Thames cycle path in Kings Meadow

£0.100m for Palmer Park play area improvements

£0.275m for the High Street Heritage Action Zone project

£0.005m for Morpeth Close road marking

£0.050m for pedestrian crossing on Addington Road

£0.015m for landscaping improvements at South Whitley Park

£0.095m for Waterloo Meadows play area improvements

£0.075m for Shinfield Road Recreation Ground improvements

£0.050m for pedestrian crossing on Church End Lane

£0.010m for lining alteration on The Meadway

£0.050m for pedestrian crossing on Norcot Road

£0.100m for Arthur Newbery Park play area improvements

£0.095m for Oxford Road Recreation Ground play area

improvements

£0.085m for Dover Street play area improvements

£0.030m for Moriston Close play area improvements

£0.002m for laptops for Coley Park Community Centre

£0.100m for Brook Street West improvements

£0.095m for a Skate Park at Rabson's Rec, Northumberland Ave

 

(3)      That the relevant Assistant Directors be authorised to complete the necessary procurement processes to deliver the programme of work;

 

(4)      That the relevant Assistant Directors be authorised to give spend approval in accordance with the funds approved in (2) above, and that variation to the allocations above be delegated to the relevant Assistant Directors in consultation with the Lead Councillors for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport and Corporate and Consumer Services and the Assistant Director of Finance;

 

(5)      That changes to the CIL protocol (Appendix 4) setting out a new process for local consultation and allocation of 15% local CIL be agreed;

 

(6)      That the consultation document on spend of collected and future 15% local CIL (Appendix 5) be agreed for consultation.

Supporting documents: