At the meeting of the Council held on 11 December 2017 (minute 100 refers), the attached Notice of Motion, ‘Planning Ahead to Use the Community Infrastructure Levy’ proposed by Councillor Phil Gilchrist and seconded by Councillor Stuart Kelly was referred by the Civic Mayor to the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration.

In accordance with Standing Order 7 (6), Councillor Gilchrist has been invited to attend the meeting in order for him to be given an opportunity to explain the Motion.

At the meeting of the Council held on 11 December  2017 (minute 100 refers) the following Notice of Motion, ‘Planning Ahead to use the Community Infrastructure Levy’, proposed by Councillor Phil Gilchrist and seconded by Councillor Stuart Kelly  was referred by the Civic Mayor to the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration –

Planning Ahead to use the Community Infrastructure Levy

“Council recognises that the Cabinet last considered the use of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) at its meeting on 15 January 2015 (Minute 131 refers).

http://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/documents/s50022901/Community%20Infrastructure%20Levy%20Update%20Report.pdf

At that time, it was reported that…

‘The Council’s Core Strategy Local Plan is now at an advanced stage in preparation.  A revised Proposed Submission Draft Core Strategy is expected to be presented to the Council for approval for publication and public examination in July 2015.'

Since that study, it is worth noting that

(a)  Knowsley Council adopted a Supplementary Planning Document on developer contributions in June 2016.

(b)  Cheshire West and Chester Council adopted a full scheme in July 2017.

(c)  Sefton set out a draft charging schedule for consultation in September 2017.

Council appreciates that developer contributions can be secured by the planning system through on-site provision and design, site-specific planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy. Given the extent of the Budget Gap it is essential that these means are explored.

Council is also aware that documentation released at the time of the most recent Budget has laid out the Government’s intention to set about speeding up the process of setting and revising CIL to make it easier to respond to changes to the market. Apparently, this will include…

‘allowing a more proportionate approach than the requirement for two stages of consultation and providing greater clarity on the appropriate evidence base’.

Council believes that, whatever the outcome of the intervention by Sajid Javid

(Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government) on 16 November, this Council now needs to make greater progress in assessing how the use of the Community Infrastructure Levy can raise resources to assist in the provision of local facilities and services.

Accordingly, it requests that the Cabinet allocates sufficient resources to speed up the local plan making process, the use of developer contributions and examination of the use of the Community Infrastructure Levy”.

In accordance with Standing Order 7(6), Councillor Gilchrist had been invited to attend the meeting in order for him to be given an opportunity to explain the Motion.

Councillor Gilchrist advised the Committee he felt better informed following consideration of the previous item (Wirral Local Plan – Report of Progress Since 2004), having submitted his Motion around the time of receipt of the Secretary of State’s letter.  He was hopeful that the timetable would allow for identification of sites, and felt reassured in respect of staffing resources.

Councillor Gilchrist acknowledged that the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) process was not an easy one, but noted the significant resources achieved or anticipated by some local authorities who had pursued the CIL and suggested amounts that might have accrued to this Council from two recent large scale developments had a CIL been in place here.  He noted that the Council’s report from 2015 had indicated that a CIL was unlikely to put development in the Borough at risk.  He noted that in December the Government had indicated speeding up of the CIL process, referred to documentation produced by Knowsley Council, and asked the Committee to consider how the Council might proceed in the future.

A Member commented that developers were not rushing to the Borough and queried whether there would be any benefit, suggesting that the CIL would be more useful for areas with a lot of development demand.  Further comment was made that this item was of a similar nature to the earlier consideration by the Committee of the Motion on Economic Viability Assessments, insofar as both issues placed a demand on developers.  The Council, it was suggested, did need to consider such options given the need to identify alternate income when the Revenue Support Grant was ceased and that this particular proposal could be progressed with other matters related to the Local Plan.

On the Motion of Councillor Carubia and seconded by Councillor Muspratt it was –

RESOLVED: That theNotice of Motion be referred for consideration to the Task and Finish Group established to consider Economic Viability Assessments.