Issue - meetings

To receive a report and process to enable the effective and efficient management of the proportion of the CIL receipts that is earmarked for local community projects.

The Committee received a report on Community Infrastructure Levy community receipts.  Members noted the comments made by the various Neighbourhood Forum representatives during the public forum, especially the concerns over the project management of agreed schemes. As a result, it was proposed that the process should be reviewed in 12 months time and that the recommendations be amended to include this (proposed by Cllr Bittlestone and seconded by Cllr Carasco). 

The Woking Joint Committee agreed that :

(i)    The arrangement for managing the proportion of the CIL receipts earmarked for local community projects as set out in Section 2 of the report be noted and approved;

(ii)   Local Ward Borough Councillors in conjunction with County Divisional Councillors take the leading role in identifying local community infrastructure projects that CIL receipts could be used, and in doing so should work in partnership with designated Neighbourhood Forums and other recognised stakeholders within the Ward or Neighbourhood Area.

(iii)That the process be subject to review in one years’ time.

Reason for decision:

To enable the effective and efficient management of the proportion of the CIL receipts that is earmarked for local community projects.

The Committee received a report on Community Infrastructure Levy community receipts.  Members noted the comments made by the various Neighbourhood Forum representatives during the public forum, especially the concerns over the project management of agreed schemes. As a result, it was proposed and agreed  that the process be implemented as recommended, and be carefully monitored and be reviewed in 12 months time. The recommendations of the report have been amended to include this agreement (proposed by Cllr Bittleston and seconded by Cllr Carasco). 

Members also noted the following points:

·         The consultation on the draft report could have been wider, to include all Members and the Forums – although it was noted that every Councillor would be included in the training.

·         The Planning Policy Manager and his team had been working closely with the Neighbourhood Forums and had also studied how  other local authority are managing the use of their CIL income. The report takes into account lessons learnt from these other authorities.

·         Although Councillors  are being asked to manage the delivery of the identified community projects, in practice, it is likely that there would be significant Officers input by way of providing advice and some help. The nature of the assistance can only be determined on a case by case basis depending on the nature, scale and type of community project. The Joint Committee will monitor the situation and make any changes to the process in due course if it is deemed necessary.,

·         The process has been designed to be local, open and transparent. In this regard, Officers will provide monthly updates on money received and how much has been earmarked for each Ward/Neighbourhood Area. Each Councillor will receive the update from end of April and thereafter at the end of each month.

·         It was clarified that the use of the 75%/85% that went to the Borough Council is the sole responsibility of the Council through the Joint Committee., The Council has published a Regulation  123 priority list (that was widely consulted on) of schemes that it wishes to the use CIL income on.

The Woking Joint Committee agreed that :

(i)    The arrangement for managing the proportion of the CIL receipts earmarked for local community projects as set out in Section 2 of the report be noted and approved;

(ii)   Local Ward Borough Councillors in conjunction with County Divisional Councillors take the leading role in identifying local community infrastructure projects that CIL receipts could be used, and in doing so should work in partnership with designated Neighbourhood Forums and other recognised stakeholders within the Ward or Neighbourhood Area.

(iii)That the process be subject to review in one years’ time.

Reason for decision:

To enable the effective and efficient management of the proportion of the CIL receipts that is earmarked for local community projects.