Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet approves new approach for Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy

Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet has today, Monday 10 March approved a new approach to allocating strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

Strategic CIL is the portion of total CIL receipts that is retained by the District Council to spend on infrastructure projects.

Under current legislation, 5% of CIL receipts are used for administering the levy and a portion of receipts are retained by the Town or Parish Council in which the CIL was raised. These arrangements are not affected by the new approach to Strategic CIL spend.

The revised approach focusses on:

• The provision of strategic infrastructure, updating the previous Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) schedule and wider evidence base to identify key infrastructure themes and projects. Transitioning to an updated IDP that is based on the South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP) once this has progressed sufficiently.
  
  
• Focussing the use of CIL in areas that are experiencing significant development, including areas with existing capacity constraints that additional development might worsen.
  
  
• Understanding the relationship between CIL, S106 and projects delivered under S.278 (off-site highways works funded by developer contributions and undertaken by Warwickshire County Council).
  
  
• Early engagement with infrastructure providers to bring identified projects forward.
  
  
• Using CIL to help seed projects or bring them forward as the funding source of last resort, including the use of CIL to forward fund projects, where appropriate.
  
  
• Establishing the Infrastructure Planning Officer Advisory Group, that was previously approved by The Cabinet, to oversee the preparation of the Infrastructure List as part of its broader remit relating to delivery of infrastructure.
  
  
• Opportunities to coordinate strategic CIL spends with local CIL spend by Parish and Town Councils.

The work that accompanies the report acknowledges that CIL funding will not be capable of meeting all of the infrastructure needs of the District, even in combination with other developer contributions. The aim is to use CIL as effectively as possible as part of a toolkit of funding sources rather than a cure all.

Cllr George Cowcher, Deputy Leader and Planning and Economic Development Portfolio said: "This new approach to allocating strategic CIL receipts will ensure that funding allocations are driven by evidence of development impact and by working closely with infrastructure providers, the District Council aims to achieve greater strategic benefits and transformative results for local communities."

• Stratford-on-Avon District Council became a CIL charging authority in 2018 when the Council's CIL Charging Schedule first took effect.
• The CIL Regulations allow local authorities to charge a levy on developments in their area to fund the infrastructure needed to support development.
• CIL monies can be used to fund the provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure to support the development of the area.
• CIL monies can be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure, including transport, flood defences, schools, hospitals, and other health and social care facilities.