At the last meeting, the Community Infrastructure Levy Steering Group (CILSG) considered the differences between the Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Community Grants Scheme (CGS) criteria.  As a result, Members requested that officers carried out a comparison exercise on how many projects in the past two years had been awarded funding from the CGS which might have also met the criteria for funding from Strategic CIL.

The Council’s CGS supported the development of community facilities, community activities and sustainable local action and applications were welcomed from voluntary or community organisations with an annual budget of £130,000 (funded from Earmarked Reserves).  The CGS was split into three levels of funding, from small grants under £500 up to a maximum grant of £30,000.  A scoring template was used to ensure that all applications were fairly assessed, with the CGS Grants Panel recommending to Cabinet which projects should be supported.

Appendix 1 to the report detailed the community grants awarded from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2020.  It was noted that potentially six projects might have been suitable for Strategic CIL funding (one was below the current CIL threshold of £100,000); and seven projects might have been suitable for Local CIL funding (subject to consideration by the respective parish/town council).

Analysis of CGS projects which might have qualified for Strategic CIL identified that projects with a total value of above £30,000 totalled £506,115 and projects with a total value under £30,000 totalled £164,957.

Strategic CIL that was retained by the Council could be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure such as transport, flood defences, schools, hospitals and other health and social care facilities, but not affordable housing as set out in the relevant regulations.  The Council must spend CIL on infrastructure needed to support the development of the district which would be informed by the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

Where all or part of a chargeable development was within the area of a parish or town council, the Council would need to pass on a proportion of the CIL receipts, this was known as Local CIL.  CIL receipts must be used to support the development of the Parish or Town Council’s area by funding the provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure; or anything else that was concerned with addressing the demands that development placed on the area.  Provided that it met requirements, Local CIL could be spent on a wider range of projects than that of Strategic CIL e.g. affordable housing or environmental improvements etc.  Similar projects would fall within the scope of the CGS.

During the debate the following key issues were noted:

·       Members were reminded that £130,000 from Earmarked Reserves was not sustainable.  Important to source other funding opportunities to ensure that this level of funding was retained in the future.

·       It was considered important to retain the CGS, as it not only supported larger projects but also supported smaller community non-strategic projects e.g. local scout and guide groups etc.

·       All organisations would be required to match-fund CGS grants.

·       As part of the criteria / process, it was requested that training be arranged for councillors, parish and town councils on CIL and the Council’s CGS, as well as application processes.  The Chairman confirmed that this would form part of the new decision and governance arrangements for CIL.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.