Community Infrastructure Levy Governance Arrangements
Rother District Council, as a Charging Authority for CIL, retains a portion of CIL generated. Up to 5% can be spent on administrative expenses; 15% (capped at £100/dwelling) of relevant receipts is passed to the parish council, rising to 25% (uncapped) where there is a neighbourhood plan in place. This retained portion is called Strategic CIL and it must be spent on projects which deliver significant infrastructure to support the development of the area.
In order to effectively allocate strategic CIL monies to projects, Rother District Council has established the Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy Allocations Panel (‘The Panel’). The Panel is comprised of Councillors and is supported by officers. The purpose of the Panel is to consider which projects should be invited to make funding applications; to consider submitted applications; and to allocate strategic CIL funding, subject to Chief Executive approval via Delegated Authority.
The membership of the Panel is:
- Portfolio Holder for Strategic Planning
- Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Regeneration
- Portfolio Holder for Finance and Performance Management
- Leader of the Council
- Chair of Overview & Scrutiny
The meetings of the Panel are not held in public, however, the minutes from their previous meetings can be found here:
The projects that the Panel consider for strategic CIL funding will be informed by RDC’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) and through annual and regular contact with Town and Parish Council’s and infrastructure providers. The IDP sets out a list of infrastructure requirements to support development proposed by the Local Plan.
Parish and town councils and infrastructure providers will be asked to provide details of their proposed infrastructure requirements to support development through the Local Plan or where housing is built during the Local Plan period. The projects the Panel will consider should have a wide strategic impact in Rother, instead of being locally focussed. Smaller scale projects which are more localised could instead be funded using the local portion of CIL which Town’s and Parish Councils receive.
Funding allocation areas
The Strategic CIL funds that the Panel will allocate are sub-divided into four specific allocation areas.
Rother Infrastructure Fund
55% of the Strategic CIL will fund projects where RDC considers an infrastructure improvement or project is required to meet the adopted Local Plan objectives. Those selected from the Infrastructure List to apply for funding from the Rother Infrastructure Fund (RIF) will be required to demonstrate how their infrastructure scheme proposal meets the Local Plan and Corporate Plan objectives. The RIF will be split into two sub funds – one for Bexhill and one for rural Rother, each fund representing the actual CIL funds generated in those two areas and to fund infrastructure in each area. Allocation of funds to each area will be limited to the funds generated by each area, except in exceptional circumstances where the project would benefit the whole of Rother.
Infrastructure Matched Fund
25% of the Strategic CIL will fund projects specific to individual Towns and Parishes of Rother and the amount requested from the Infrastructure Matched Fund (IMF) should be match-funded and can only be used in towns and parishes where housing is allocated and built, but also available where non-allocated sites of at least 6 houses are permitted and constructed, as the purpose of CIL is to fund substantive infrastructure that demonstrates it helps offsets the impact of new development. Those town and parish projects with a wider impact could receive a greater proportion of funding (up to 100%) from the IMF depending on whether and to what extent the project can truly demonstrate a wider infrastructure benefit. The IMF will also be split into two sub funds – one for Bexhill and one for rural Rother, each fund representing the actual CIL funds generated in those two areas and to fund infrastructure in both areas. Funding from the IMF is not automatic and is dependent on a parish or town having a prioritised infrastructure plan/list. Funding will need to be applied for by application.
Climate Emergency Bonus Fund
20% of Strategic CIL will support the Council’s commitment to be a carbon neutral district by 2030 as set out in the Environment Strategy (September 2020). While, the Council would expect all infrastructure proposals to consider and minimise their carbon emissions, the Climate Emergency Bonus Fund will provide additional funding where infrastructure projects can demonstrate that they will make a significant contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions or to the offsetting of carbon emissions. A project must specifically indicate in their application that they would like to claim the climate emergency bonus and set out how their project will achieve demonstrable carbon reductions / offsetting. It should be made clear what difference the ‘climate emergency bonus’ would make to their project and, where appropriate, what the bonus will allow them to do in addition to what is already proposed within their project. Those projects from either the RIF or IMF which demonstrate green credentials can also apply for “top-up” funding from this pot. This fund can also be used to fully fund projects which meet is requirements.
Where there are monies that have not been allocated from the IMF (over a given time period to be agreed), these monies will be transferred to a Residual Fund (RF), which again will be split into two sub funds – one for Bexhill and one for rural Rother. It is proposed that these RF be apportioned for use in areas where large Community Land Trusts (CLTs), Exception Sites or solely Affordable Housing Schemes have been developed as these types of development are exempt from CIL. In addition, the RF may allocate monies that would normally be eligible for funding from the Community Grant Scheme (CGS) if they are considered within the Strategic CIL infrastructure definition and cannot be funded through Local CIL or other local funding sources (Public Works Loan Board (PWLB), parish or town reserves etc.). Funding applications can then be invited from these areas for infrastructure schemes for consideration by the Strategic CIL Allocations Panel.
Expression of Interest
The Strategic CIL Allocations Panel have agreed to accept Expressions of Interest for infrastructure projects to be included on the Priority List. The Priority List will inform the Panel on which projects to invite to apply for strategic CIL funding. Inclusion on the Priority List is not a guarantee of an invitation to apply for funding, this will be decided upon by the Panel. Subject to their being sufficient Strategic CIL funds available, the Panel will meet again to consider the Priority List and decide which projects to invite to put forward full funding applications in June 2023.
Please find below the Expression of Interest form:
The Principal CIL Officer will make contact if the Panel seek to invite your project to apply for Strategic CIL Funding.
If you have any questions or have a project which you would like to put forward then please contact cil@rother.gov.uk.
Strategic CIL Funding Timetable 2022/23
The timetable for strategic CIL funding which the Strategic CIL Allocation Panel will follow for 2022/2023 can be found below.
| Month | Funding Protocol Key Milestones | Other CIL Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 22 | An 8-week Expression of Interest round takes place. Expressions will be submitted for inclusion on the Infrastructure Priority List. | |
| Nov 22 | The Panel will meet to consider the expressions of interest which have been submitted and the updated Infrastructure Priority List. The Panel will consider which items to invite to apply for funding, taking into consideration the amount of funding available. | Contact made with Infrastructure providers and Town and Parish Councils to identify infrastructure priorities for the year ahead, which will form the Infrastructure List. |
| Dec 22 | Those invited to apply for funding will have 8 weeks to submit applications. The applications will be validated and assessed by officers. | |
| Feb 23 | Panel to meet and discuss applications and recommend which ones should receive funding. The Chief Executive of RDC will be requested to use delegated authority to implement the recommendations of the Panel and release funding | |
| Jun 23 | Subject to sufficient Strategic CIL funds being available the Panel will meet to discuss the Infrastructure List and expressions of interest and shortlist infrastructure priorities/projects and recommend which ones should be invited for funding. | |
| Jul 23 | Those invited to apply for funding will have 8 weeks to submit applications. The applications will be validated and assessed by officers. | |
| Sep 23 | Panel to meet and discuss applications and recommend which ones should receive funding. The Chief Executive of RDC will be requested to use delegated authority to implement the recommendations of the Panel and release funding. | |
| Nov 23 | Contact made with Infrastructure providers and Town and Parish Councils to identify infrastructure priorities for the year ahead, which will form the Infrastructure List. | |
| Dec 23 | Updates on all approved projects to feature in the annual Infrastructure Funding Statement. |
