Agenda item

To consider a report by the Assistant Director of Environment, Growth and Planning, prior to consideration by the Cabinet.

(Members of the Overview & Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) have been invited to attend and partake in the discussion on this item).

(Councillor N J Guyatt, Deputy Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Strategic Planning and Housing, was in attendance for this item).

With the assistance of a report by the Assistant Director for Environment, Growth and Planning (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Panel received an update on the outcome of the public consultation on the Draft Huntingdonshire CIL Regulation 123 List. The List defined the types of infrastructure that would be funded in whole or in part by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to ensure that there was no duplication between contributions from CIL and Section 106 Agreements. A copy of the List was tabled at the meeting and it is appended in the Minute Book.

By way of introduction, Councillor N J Guyatt explained that the report set out the position for 2013/14 and that the Government was continuing to change the regulations surrounding the Levy. It was currently considering proposals to exempt self-build properties from the Levy. The Deputy Executive Leader reported that the Council had responded to the consultation on this proposal on the basis that this should not be permitted because small sites constituted a significant proportion of development within the District, and it would make delivering strategic infrastructure more difficult. Furthermore, it could create a mechanism through which CIL was not payable and affect the meaningful proportion which was allocated to town and parish councils.

The Planning Service Manager (Policy) explained that the preparation of an Infrastructure Business Plan for 2013/14 was the first stage of a longer process. Work had already started on the next iteration of the Business Plan and one of the major challenges would be to find alternative sources of funding to meet the shortfall in the resources available for strategic infrastructure. Work would also be required to develop the way in which the District Council worked with town and parish councils on how their contributions would be spent. With this in mind, a series of briefings for parish and town councils had already been held and the Planning Service Manager had also attended a number of parish council meetings to talk about the way in which shared priorities might be achieved. Members welcomed the dialogue which had been opened with town and parish councils, particularly in view of the concerns which they had previously expressed about the absence of local community representatives from the CIL governance structure.

In considering the contents of the report and having noted that the District Council would be the collecting body for CIL contributions, Members questioned whether there would be an audit trail to demonstrate how monies were distributed and spent. In response, Members were assured that partner agencies would be required to provide details of how the funds were spent. Although town and parish councils would have autonomy to spend their contributions in the way in which they saw fit, they would be required to provide an audit trail. Monies would be paid to town and parish councils in line with the phasing of developments.

Councillor M F Shellens expressed concern that infrastructure negotiated by communities through already existing Urban Design Frameworks might not now be delivered. He referred specifically to the Urban Design Framework for the former RAF Brampton site, and the Parish Council’s acceptance of development, which had been predicated on the delivery of the infrastructure outlined in it. In response, Councillor N J Guyatt explained that whilst it was not possible to provide any guarantees, best endeavours would be made to meet the commitments already made.

In response to a question by a Member, it was explained that the fact that a number of responses to the consultation were made before the announcement of proposals for the new Local Plan should not cause a problem because the Business Plan would be updated on an annual basis. It was also noted that developments of 200 dwellings or more would be liable to pay both S106 contributions and CIL. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be recommended to approve the revised Regulation 123 List incorporating the Huntingdonshire Infrastructure Business Plan 2013/14.