For the committee to review and give comments on the CIL Spending Strategy.
Minutes:
Cabinet member for Development and Infrastructure, Councillor Judy Roberts, introduced the report on Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
Councillor Roberts ran through the main changes as follows:
CIL charging started in Vale in November 2017 and the spending strategy was approved in April 2019 as a two-year pilot. As of 30 October 2020, we have £3.5 million collected through CIL. Charging rates are being reviewed soon. This report is regarding how we spend it. There have been issues spending it, and we want to make sure it is spent to support the new developments in the Vale of White Horse District.
Alterations have been proposed to help us bring forward new projects, which still need to meet CIL criteria, which is quite strict with clear restrictions.
Current criteria for CIL is that it can be spent on new infrastructure and increased infrastructure due to a new development. Discretion can be used in the NPPF for maintenance of existing infrastructure, if the infrastructure is essential for the community where new development is taking place.
Allocations remain similar to the original strategy, but rather than breaking down the Vale of White Horse District Council (VOWH) section, we are putting all parts together into a pot, to give greater flexibility to amass funds to be able to proceed with projects. For example, the arts 2.5% allocation takes a long time for the pot to amass a good amount of money for a project. Still keeping sections (arts, leisure etc) at the forefront of our minds, especially green infrastructure, linked to corporate plan.
There is a widening of the geographic area - Didcot Garden Town (DGT) spans both South and Vale districts. Regulation 123 list has been removed, which allows pooling of CIL and Section 106 funds towards the same projects. Parish percentages remain as they are (25% for those with neighbourhood plans and 15% to those without).
Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) asked us to include libraries and recycling centres – we are widening the scope to include this.
Under special circumstances, funding for SEND schools outside of the district could be considered.
A new arrangement with OCC is proposed for them to submit projects for funding in time for budget setting which means changing the reporting period to end on 30 September so that we can consider projects as part of the budget setting process.
The aim is to get money spent for the benefit of the public.
Mark Hewer, Infrastructure and Development Team Leader, and Jayne Bolton, Infrastructure and Development Manager, were also present to answer questions.
Chair welcomed questions from the committee and asked to avoid specific ward examples – these can be handled outside of the meeting.
The discussions and comments for the Cabinet member to consider are summed up below
Officers and Cabinet member were thanked.
Supporting documents: