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Agenda item

Infrastructure Funding Statement

Purpose

To consider and approve the West Oxfordshire Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) for 2020/21.

 

Recommendation

That the Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) attached at Annex A to the report be approved and published on the Council’s website by 31 December 2021 in accordance with legislative requirements.

Minutes:

Members received a report from the Planning Policy Manager which asked them to consider and approve the West Oxfordshire Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) for 2020/21.

 

Following changes to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations in 2019, local authorities were required to report on the receipt and use of developer contributions through the publication of an annual Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS). The IFS must be published by 31 December each year and cover the previous financial year (1 April - 31 March). Its main purpose was to set out future infrastructure requirements and expected costs, contributions received during the previous financial year, anticipated funding from developer contributions (e.g. Section 106 and CIL) and the Council’s future spending priorities.

 

The IFS must be updated annually and was intended to feed back into Local Plan reviews and effectively replaced previous local authority CIL regulation 123 lists.

 

The report provided an overview of the different sections of the IFS along with the headline figures relating to S106 contributions, what they would be used for and those amounts to be transferred to Oxfordshire County Council and Parish and Town Councils.

 

There was no alternative option listed because the publication of the IFS was a legislative requirement and its content was dictated by the Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2019.

 

The Cabinet member for Strategic Planning, Councillor Haine introduced the report and explained the reasons for reporting due to changes in regulations.  He congratulated the officers for a very thorough and well written report, which reflected exactly what Members had asked for.  Councillor Haine proposed the recommendation as laid out.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Davies who echoed the comments made and passed her compliments to the officers involved.

 

In response to a query raised by Councillor Fenton, it was confirmed that the report related to S106 contributions that had been spent by the District Council.

 

Councillor Cooper addressed the meeting and highlighted the key local priority relating to Marlborough School, detailed on page 55 of the document pack.  He suggested that officers may wish to check this priority as historically the church had blocked improvements to the school.  It was felt this was because they were one of the few Church of England schools in the area and they did not want their facilities to be used on a Sunday.

 

Councillor Haine noted the comment and advised that the priority had been created following information received through the consultation process.  He agreed to look into the matter and respond to Councillor Cooper.

 

Councillor Graham raised a number of issues relating to Section 106 funds secured at The Driving Centre, Enstone Airfield, the reference to ‘Education – Primary’ on page 59, and asked for an update on how officers were planning to proceed with the CIL Charging Schedule.

 

The Chief Finance Officer advised that the extensive Section 106 database would be able to confirm if the funds relating to Enstone Airfield had been secured and collected.  She agreed to check and respond to Councillor Graham.

 

Councillor Haine agreed to find out about the ‘Education – Primary’ reference and respond in due course.  With regard to the update on the CIL Charging Schedule, Councillor Haine advised that there had been several major projects being dealt with by the Planning team which had taken time.  However, he had requested that officers focus on CIL, whilst awaiting further information from the Government.  He estimated that this work could take in the region of six months and Members would be updated as and when there was more to report.

 

Councillor Fenton advised that having looked up the planning reference next to ‘Education – Primary’, this related to the Batt School in Witney.

 

Having been proposed and duly seconded, the Cabinet

 

Resolved that the Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS), attached at Annex A to the report, be approved and published on the Council’s website by 31 December 2021 in accordance with legislative requirements.

 

Supporting documents: