Decision details

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in the context of Neighbourhood Plans.

Decision Maker: Co-operative Executive

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a contribution that Councils can charge developers towards essential infrastructure to support new development.

 

Sheffield City Council began charging CIL on new planning permissions on 15 July 2015.

 

Most new development which creates net additional floor space of 100 square metres (c. 1,076 Sq. Ft.) or more, or creates a new dwelling, is potentially liable for the levy.  Some developments may be eligible for relief or exemption from the levy and some have a zero charge due to limited viability.  Sheffield City Council applies a CIL Charging Schedule and we only charge for residential (where viable), hotels, student accommodation and some retail (City Centre, Meadowhall and ‘major’ retail defined as being over 3,000 Sq. m. in size). 

 

CIL is intended to be flexible so that money collected in the more viable parts of the city can be used to help provide essential infrastructure in other parts of the city that are less viable.  On this basis, most of the money (80%) goes into a central pot and the City Council’s Co-Operative Executive will decide the priority projects that will receive this funding.  CIL is spent as part of the Corporate Investment Fund (CIF).  The Capital Strategy and Budget Book 2021/22 – 2025/26 sets out the principles for investment priority setting, reviewing all potential capital projects and deciding where best to invest the Council’s resources.  A number of these projects will require CIF funding.

 

The Council can retain a maximum of 5% of CIL income to go towards the administrative costs of setting it up and collecting it (CIL Regulation 61).

 

The remaining 15% is called the Neighbourhood Portion or Local CIL.

Within the Regulations, an area that has had a Neighbourhood Plan approved will draw down 25% towards ‘the Neighbourhood Portion’, rather than the standard 15%.

 

 

Decision:

18.1

Sheffield City Council’s approach to allocating Neighbourhood CIL is detailed in a Cabinet Report dated 17 October 2018.  This did not set out an approach to allocating CIL in Neighbourhood Plan areas.

 

Sheffield now has two approved Neighbourhood Plans – BBEST (covering Broomhill, Broomfield, Endcliffe, Summerfield and Tapton) and Dore.

 

The Council now needs an approach towards the allocation of CIL within Neighbourhood Plan areas.

 

The report sets out these proposals for how Neighbourhood CIL funding is allocated and spent in areas where a Neighbourhood Plan has been approved.

 

 

18.2

RESOLVED: That Co-operative Executive:-

 

 

1) agrees that from the date that a Neighbourhood Plan is adopted by the Council, the CIL Neighbourhood Portion arising from a chargeable development in the Neighbourhood Plan area is ringfenced for use in that area and is not collected into the single Local CIL pot;

 

2) authorises the Director of Communities, in consultation with the Executive Member for Community Engagement and Governance, to determine

 

   (i) how the CIL Neighbourhood Portion is spent in a Neighbourhood Plan area, following engagement with the Neighbourhood Forum (or other formally constituted body responsible for developing the individual Neighbourhood Plan), local communities and Ward Councillors, subject to the proviso that monies are spent in accordance with the priorities identified in the Neighbourhood Plan and agreed Ward Priorities: and

 

    (ii) to determine the terms on which such expenditure is incurred including authorising the completion of any related funding agreement or other legal documentation; and

 

3) notes that the collection and distribution arrangements for the Neighbourhood Portion agreed by Cabinet in October 2018 will continue to apply proportionately to any parts of a ward in which there is a Neighbourhood Plan that are not within the Neighbourhood Plan area.

 

 

18.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

18.3.1

The proposals address the omission of Neighbourhood Plan areas from the 2018 Cabinet decision on the CIL Neighbourhood Portion and provide recognition of the valuable input of Neighbourhood Forums in their respective areas.  

 

 

18.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

18.4.1

The 25% Neighbourhood Portion raised in the Neighbourhood Plan areas could be redistributed across the city using the process approved in 2018: pooling into a single Local CIL Pot (together with the 15% raised across the rest of the city outside parish council areas) and allocating the total across the city per ward based on deprivation levels using the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).  This could however be seen as contrary to the spirit of the Neighbourhood Planning regime.

 

 

18.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

 

 

 

None

 

 

18.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

 

 

 

None

 

 

18.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

 

 

 

Executive Director, Place

 

 

18.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

 

 

 

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

 

 

Report author: Nik Hamilton

Publication date: 18/03/2022

Date of decision: 16/03/2022

Decided at meeting: 16/03/2022 - Co-operative Executive

Effective from: 25/03/2022

Accompanying Documents: