Agenda item

The Committee considered the Assistant Director Planning Strategy and Development Management’s report that sought Members endorsement for the support of 7 project bids and to reject 5 remaining bids that the Community Infrastructure Level (CIL) Member Working Party had considered on 15 January and 27 February 2025.

The report set out the details concerning the types of bids received and the process that was followed for scoring the bids which would receive funds from the Strategic CIL Fund of £11.289million.  It was noted the CIL Member Working Party had proposed that £1million should be retained for delivery of future projects.

In summary the 7 project bids supported were:

East Devon District Council - Clyst Meadow Country Park, Station Road, Broadclyst SANGS

Priority 1

To deliver 10 hectares of Country Park (SANG) and future management.

CIL Bid £1,383,624

Conditions

Cabinet on 1 May 2025 agreed that the SANG’s would be managed in-house

using an endowment model funded from CIL, however the CIL Member Working

Party considered that the £2million upfront cost could not be justified and that an

Annual contribution from CIL was preferred.

Honiton Town Council - Enhancing sport provision in Honiton

Priority 2

New pitches at Tower Hill, 3G at HCC and HPS drainage and lighting at Allhallows.

CIL Bid £601,000

Devon County Council - Mosshayne/Tithebarn Primary School

Priority 1

Construction of 210 place primary school and nursery provision

CIL Bid £4,500,000

NHS Devon Integrated Care Board - Pinhoe Surgery Extension

216 sq.m. extension to surgery to create 6 new clinical rooms due to 56% increase in patient numbers from East Devon growth areas.

CIL Bid £800,000

Conditions

A safeguard measure will place a legal charge on the property with Land Registry preventing the building from being sold without the CIL, S106 and NHS grant being repaid.

Devon County Council - Cranbrook Multi-Use Path

Priority 1

1.5km off-road walking, wheeling and cycling route between Cranbrook and Exeter

CIL Bid £1,800,000

Devon County Council - London Road, Cranbrook

Construction of missing footpath/cycle provision between Cranberry Farm pub to Ingrams

CIL Bid £750,000

Exmouth Rugby Club – Extension

2 DFU compliant changing rooms (women and girls)

Priority 2

CIL Bid £100,000

Comments from Non-Committee Members included:

Ward Member, Councillor Eleanor Rylance referred to the Council’s commitments to the Pebblebed Heaths and hoped that East Devon District Council and Broadclyst Parish Council were in talks about the long-term future of the SANG at Station Road, Broadclyst and the Cranbrook multi-use path which would run through the SANG was crucial to promote active travel.  She supported Councillor Gent’s comments about Tithebarn Primary School and said it was nonsensical as the development was composed of nearly all young families.  Lastly, she supported the Pinhoe Surgery extension and made Members aware that the surgery was in fact a cross-border surgery which went into Broadclyst and had been struggling with capacity for some time due to developments in the West End of East Devon.

Councillor Bethany Collins and Councillor Peter Faithfull supported a deferral for the Tipton St John Feasibility Study.  Councillor Collins advised as it was a priority 1 bid it would be a missed opportunity to have further discussions with the Department of Education.

Councillor Ian Barlow, a Member of the CIL Member Working Group, reassured the Committee that a lot of time had been taken to obtain all the necessary advice to reach a decision on the bids.  He drew attention to the upcoming devolution which was only 3 years away and suggested there was a need to ring fence the funds for the SANG at Broadclyst to ensure this money was secured.

Councillor Roy Collins referred to the site for the Honiton football facilities and said it was not suitable for a football pitch.

Ward Members and Devon County Councillors Jessica Bailey and Paul Hayward asked the Committee to consider a deferral of the decision to reject the bid on the Tipton St John Feasibility Study as there was less of a risk with this feasibility study bid as the DFE have already confirmed there is funding available but it was the question of where the school was to be located that needed further work.

Councillor Paul Hayward sought clarification from the Assistant Director Planning Strategy and Development Management about the point at which the bidder is given the funds.  In response it was advised that a funding agreement would need to be set out for each bid but that fundamentally this Council would hold on to the funds until the bidder is ready to spend it.

Councillor Jess Bailey and Councillor Paul Hayward left the room and did not take part in discussions or vote for this agenda item.

Committee Members questions and comments included:

·       It was questioned about the current number of pupils attending Tipton St John School and whether there would be enough pupils to attend the new one.  The Assistant Director Planning Strategy and Development Management could not give a number but explained there were issues about the location of the school as a lot of pupils’ travel from Ottery St Mary to Tipton St John.

·       Clarification was sought on the reason to reject the bid from Network Rail.  Members were advised it was an early decision by officers to reject all the feasibility studies as it was not the Council’s responsibility to fund this work.

·       A statement was read out on behalf of Committee Ward Member for Broadclyst, Councillor Paula Fernley who supported the 4 bids in her ward.

·       Members wanted to thank the CIL Member Working Party on reaching their decision and thank you to the CIL Officers for their guidance.

·       Support was expressed for all the successful bids.

·       Support was expressed to defer the Tipton St John Feasibility Study bid with a suggestion that the school should be located in Tipton St John as it is a valuable asset to the village.  In response the Assistant Director Planning Strategy and Development Management advised that deferring it could set a precedent for other feasibility work bids and it would be better for them to make a further bid the next time there is a bidding round.

·       A concern was raised with the wording for Recommendation 3 as delegated authority was only given to the Assistant Director Planning Strategy and Development Management and the Director of Governance and would not involve the Committee.  It was suggested that the recommendation should be in consultation with the Chair as well. 

·       Broadly support the recommendations as written but do have a concern with the funding for the Mosshayne/Tithebarn Primary School as this is conditional on DCC providing more detailed costings – this is almost like the Council is being asked to write an open-ended cheque!

·       Disappointment was expressed about the feeble level of financial support from the NHS.

Councillor Yehudi Levine proposed the recommendations as written, seconded by Councillor Kevin Blakey subject to a slight amendment to Recommendation 3 to include the Chair of Strategic Planning Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.     The recommendations of the CIL Member Working Party in respect of each CIL bid received be agreed and to reject the bids listed in the table at paragraph 6.2 and approve those listed in the table at paragraph 6.3.

2.     That all the bidders who submitted rejected bids be advised of the outcome of their bid with reference to the reasons stated in this report.

3.     Delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director Planning Strategy and Development Management in consultation with the Director of Governance and the Chair of Strategic Planning Committee to agree funding agreements with the successful bidders based on the conditions as set out in the report.

4.     That Members agreed to advise Cabinet that they do not agree to funding an endowment to cover maintenance costs of the SANG at Station Road, Broadclyst as per Cabinet’s resolution of 1 May 2024 and recommend that Cabinet agree that these costs be funded through an annual contribution of £40k from CIL for the first 3 years after which these should be reviewed.