Agenda item

The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management presented the report outlining the annual Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 income (S106) and expenditure figures for the previous financial year 2022/23.  It was explained that due to staff resourcing issues it had not been possible to produce the annual statement to the required timetable and that a more detailed and helpful report would be produced for the next financial year for members consideration.

Questions and discussions included:

·       A concern was raised about the £10m unspent CIL and S106 money and the need to get the money out to communities and to start the process as a matter of urgency.  In response it was explained that staff resourcing issues had been the main problem which had now been resolved and that the CIL Member Working Group had recently met to discuss the spend process.

·       It was suggested that a time limit should be put on successful projects.

·       Clarification was sought on the bidding process.  The Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management explained that bids would be invited via a bidding form from the main strategic infrastructure providers in the district which would then be reviewed by the CIL Member Working Party and a final decision of the projects to be funded would be made by Strategic Planning Committee Members by the end of this calendar year.

Councillor Jess Bailey proposed an additional recommendation as follows:

That the Strategic Planning Committee notes that EDDC hold circa £10m in CIL and S106 monies and urges the Cabinet to finalise the bidding process for these funds as soon as possible

The Chair, Councillor Todd Olive, the proposer of the written recommendations sought guidance from the Assistant Director – Planning Strategy and Development Management that he was happy with the additional recommendation.  He advised that he was happy but that the CIL Member Working Party would be better suited rather than Cabinet.

Councillor Dan Ledger proposed the following further recommendation to Cabinet:

That any future interest receipts from CIL monies received is ring fenced for the purpose of infrastructure funding and it should not be put in the council’s general fund.

Following a suggestion from Councillor Paul Hayward to also include Section 106 monies in the recommendation the proposer, Councillor Todd Olive proposed the following wording.

Recommend that Cabinet examine the case for ring fencing all future interest receipts from CIL and S106 monies to be spent on infrastructure within East Devon.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the contents of this report and the requirement to provide an annual Infrastructure Funding Statement be noted.

2.     That the publication and submission to government of the 2022/23 annual Infrastructure Funding Statement based on the information detailed in this report be approved.

3.     To note that EDDC holds circa £10m CIL and S106 monies and recommends that the CIL Working Party progress the spending as a matter of urgency.

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:

That Strategic Planning Committee recommend to Cabinet to examine the case for ring fencing all future interest receipts from CIL and S106 monies to be spent on infrastructure within East Devon.