Issue - decisions
Section 106 Spending Authorisation
17/07/2026 - Section 106 Spending Authorisation
Councillor Liz Leffman, Executive Member for Planning and Infrastructure, presented the item, the purpose of which was to, consider whether future decisions on the expenditure of Section 106 (S106) funds secured towards Witney Town Centre improvements should be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Director of Finance.
In her presentation the Executive Member made the following points:
- This report sought delegation of authority to authorise spending of two specific S106 financial contributions relating to Witney Town Centre improvements to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Director of Finance. The specific S106 agreements were: £319,308.47 from planning permission ref. 13/0345/P/FP for 36 houses at Springfield Nurseries, Curbridge Road, Witney; and, £346,956.20 planning permission ref. 12/0084/P/OP for 271 houses at Downs Road, Witney.
- The contributions could only be spent on improvements within Witney Town Centre to comply with the terms of the agreement and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations 2010 (as amended).
- Projects that were intended to be funded by the S106 contributions were: a Wayfinding project; Marriotts Walk Public Realm enhancement and the Oxfordshire County Council-led Witney town centre improvements.
- As this financial contribution was to be spent by the District Council itself, as opposed to the usual process of passing funds to a third-party organisation, Executive authorisation was required for spending decisions.
- The report sought to delegate the decision in order to:
a) allow projects to progress with certainty of funding;
b) prevent delays in releasing s106 funding;
c) be responsive to time-critical factors which could otherwise block or stymy the projects.
- It was noted that, for one of the contributions, work must have been contracted by October to release the funds.
Councillor Leffman proposed accepting the recommendation of the report.
Councillor Alaric Smith, Executive Member for Finance, seconded the proposal.
Councillor Andy Graham added that the report had highlighted the benefits that would be seen in Witney Town Centre from the funds, which would improve the town centre experience for residents and businesses and continue the Town’s success.
The proposal was put to the vote and agreed unanimously.
The Executive resolved to:
1. Delegate authority to the Council’s Chief Executive, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Executive Member for Planning and Infrastructure, for making future decisions on the expenditure of Section 106 developer contributions relating to the improvement of Witney Town Centre.