Issue - meetings

Report of the Leader

RESOLVED THAT

1.     the Community Infrastructure Levy - Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule be endorsed for public consultation.

2.     the Head of Planning in consultation with the Leader of the Council be authorised to prepare the final consultation documents as required, based on the information in Appendix 2.

3.     the Head of Planning be authorised to agree the date of consultation on the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule with Gloucester and Tewkesbury Councils.

4.     a report is prepared following the consultation on the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule and reported to a subsequent meeting of Cabinet.

5.     Each Joint Core Strategy partner agrees to contribute £25,000 per authority to underwrite the set up costs of developing a CIL.

The Leader introduced the report which outlined progress which had been made in preparing for the introduction of a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) for Cheltenham.

He explained that the development of a CIL supported delivery of the Joint Core Strategy. The evidence provided in the appendices to the CIL report would support the forthcoming JCS Examination in public. The Leader reported that from April the use of Section 106 funding was being restricted. A list of projects had been produced as required by CIL Regulation 123 which suggested at this stage how CIL monies could be used to cater for the anticipated level of growth in the area. This list set out what infrastructure projects or types of infrastructure the Council may decide will be funded wholly or partly by CIL. He highlighted that it was possible to use CIL and S106 in combination but CIL could not be used for affordable housing. He informed that Peter Brett Associates had been commissioned to assess the scope to introduce a CIL within each of the JCS Councils. He emphasized that this was a preliminary consultation which may be adjusted following the JCS examination in public. There were likely to be additional costs in 2015/16 whilst the process moved through the consultation and examination phases. To cover these costs a recommendation was made to seek approval for a £25k contribution per partner council. The Leader believed that this was a useful addition to funding opportunities.

Members supported the recommendations and believed that the CIL represented an important part of the planning machinery going forward and was a vital contribution from developers to infrastructure in the town.

Members supported the common countywide approach. It was hoped that there would be extensive engagement in the consultation.

RESOLVED THAT

1.     the Community Infrastructure Levy - Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule be endorsed for public consultation.

2.     the Head of Planning in consultation with the Leader of the Council be authorised to prepare the final consultation documents as required, based on the information in Appendix 2.

3.     the Head of Planning be authorised to agree the date of consultation on the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule with Gloucester and Tewkesbury Councils.

4.     a report is prepared following the consultation on the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule and reported to a subsequent meeting of Cabinet.

5.     Each Joint Core Strategy partner agrees to contribute £25,000 per authority to underwrite the set up costs of developing a CIL.