Agenda item - Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion

To seek approval for the governance of BCP Council CIL receipts. The report covers proposed governance for both strategic and neighbourhood portion CIL monies.

RESOLVED that:-

(a) Cabinet agree that CIL Neighbourhood Portion will be operated as follows:

i. Scheme 1 – Ward-based bidding process in Bournemouth and Poole; and

ii. Scheme 2 – Allow bids from communities across BCP into the Strategic CIL pot where there are insufficient funds in the relevant area pots;

iii. The first bidding round for the new schemes will start from May 2021 and then held thereafter as frequently as required to ensure communities are able to access CIL money for their projects in a timely fashion. The set up arrangements to be delegated under (c) will also include provision for smaller scale bids of up to £2,500 to be processed through fast track decision arrangements within the provisions of the Council’s financial regulations;

(b) Cabinet establish a member CIL Allocations Panel to make decisions on CIL Neighbourhood Portion bids. The CIL Allocations Panel will comprise three Councillors including the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning and Lead Member for Engagement and one other, and the Directors for Growth and Infrastructure and Communities;

(c) Delegate the final set-up arrangements for the bidding process to the Director for Growth & Infrastructure in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning and Lead Member for Engagement.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning

Reason

To provide a unified approach to the allocation of BCP CIL receipts.

The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was informed that the report covered proposed governance for both strategic and neighbourhood portions CIL monies. In relation to this Cabinet approval was sought for the governance of BCP Council CIL receipts.

In presenting the report the Portfolio Holder advised that he was proposing some amended recommendations to take into account the debate and discussion at the recent Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet, advising that at their recent meeting the Board resolved to make the following recommendation to Cabinet in respect of this item.

RESOLVED that the report be referred back for further clarification on the governance for Scheme Two, including the total amount of funding available and the panel to establish the schemes it will cover.

In addition the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board advised that the Board had also recommended that monies be allocated on a quarterly basis (not twice yearly) and that any balances move forward into the next quarter if not spent, and that in relation to this the Portfolio Holder had accepted these recommendations at the Overview and Scrutiny meeting and had also given a commitment to include ward councillors at all stages of the process, in particular with respect to Neighbourhood Forums as outlined in paragraph 11 of the report.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder confirmed the intention in having a non-Conservative Member on the panel.

Councillor Hadley addressed Cabinet stressing the importance of cross-party membership of the established panel.

A number of Members spoke in support of the paper welcoming the approach for the allocation of BCP CIL receipts.