Lead Member – Councillor Joyce Barrow, Chair of the Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Contact:  Claire Braddock (Tel: 01743 258913)

RESOLVED

To accept the recommendations set out in the report of the Economy and Environment

Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Developer Contributions Task and Finish group

at Appendix 1.

Provide a response to the recommendations in 6 months time, identifying the

reasons why for any that were not accepted, and an action plan setting out how and

when those agreed will be implemented.

Councillor Joyce Barrow, Chair of the Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee, presented the findings of the Developer Contributions Task and Finish Group, which investigated the application and impact of Section 106 payments on new developments, healthcare, and education provision.

The report identified seven emerging recommendations grouped under six headings, including reviewing developer contributions, raising awareness, rectifying funding use, maximizing infrastructure impact, and ensuring contributions match development needs.

The recommendations were as follows:

Recommendation 1: In recognition that the current CIL Charging Schedule was adopted in 2012, the Council should undertake an urgent comprehensive review of the CIL following the adoption of the Local Plan in 2025. This urgent review should address both the charging schedule (what kinds of development are subject to CIL, and how much will be charged) and further clarify the types of infrastructure where CIL funds are best utilised within the locality in which they were derived, to ensure the highest priority infrastructure is funded.

Recommendation 2: That the review of developer contributions should include looking at the relationship between CIL and Section 106 to help identify the best approach to address the needs and challenges arising from a development. This should include a review of the phasing arrangements to shape how and when money is needed to be made available by developers to implement different interventions e.g. developing classroom capacity or a new school to meet forecasted increases in pupil numbers.

Recommendation 3: That the difference between CIL and S106, including their application, should be more clearly defined, and communicated to increase awareness and understanding, and help to manage expectations whilst improving public understanding. 14 That opportunities are identified through closer working between Planning Policy and Development Management as we progress towards the adoption of the Local Plan to raise the focus on and visibility of developer contributions. Increased coverage on the Shropshire Council website should include publication of contributions, promotion of the work that has been undertaken as a result of the use of CIL and raise awareness of any work that is underway, including the planned benefits that have been realised or are expected, highlighting the value of developer contributions.

Recommendation 4: That the allocation of CIL or S106 funding for local health provision should clearly specify that funds should be focussed on primary care provision as this has the most direct impact from new development.

Recommendation 5: That there should be greater awareness of the role and purpose of the Strategic Infrastructure Network and the constituent groups by Council officers and Members, as well as externally with partners.

Recommendation 6: That Members are encouraged to give positive consideration to proposed new guidance which will be taken to Cabinet in 2024 regarding using developer contributions for school-based infrastructure (including new school places). This will contain detail around what Shropshire Council requests in terms of developer contributions for primary and secondary school places to include SEND, active travel, and school transport.

Recommendation 7: That the Rurality Toolkit should be used to guide the design, planning, and delivery of services in rural areas to explore various alternatives such as collaborating with Community Trusts using digital technology, or making use of and sharing physical assets, and identifying opportunities to leverage developer contributions to facilitate this process

RESOLVED

To accept the recommendations set out in the report of the Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Developer Contributions Task and Finish group at Appendix 1.

To provide a response to the recommendations in 6 months time, identifying the reasons why for any that were not accepted, and an action plan setting out how and when those agreed will be implemented.