Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – Governance Arrangements EQIA 2020

Aims of the strategy  

To provide clarity, transparency and consistency in the allocation and spending of CIL receipts. 

Background or context to the proposal

The governance arrangements support the operation of the Community Infrastructure Levy. Dorset Council has been collecting developer contributions through CIL via area charging schedules carried forward from the legacy councils. Each council had infrastructure priorities laid out in published lists as required by government regulation. Those regulations were withdrawn in September 2019 giving councils greater flexibility over infrastructure choices.

The report proposes to honour the legacy commitments to September 2019 and introduces a governance process to invite and appraise expressions of interest for projects within the infrastructure categories listed. The same governance process provides a framework for establishing new infrastructure priorities for funds secured after September 2019. These governance arrangements will allow the council to spend CIL money on infrastructure necessary to support development. 

Intelligence and communication  

What data, information, evidence and research and how it was used to influence was the decision-making process  

The Community Infrastructure Levy is a mechanism from which councils can seek funding from new development proposals to fund the infrastructure needed to support it. The arrangements for the Levy are set out in the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 as amended. Infrastructure to support development affects everyone. Consultation during the development of the Levy identified infrastructure themes and priorities. 

There is a high demand placed on infrastructure, particularly, education, transport, flood defence and mitigating the effects of habitat regulations. More recent engagement with service providers identifies additional infrastructure needs which will inform future priorities for spending. 

Further information needed to help inform this proposal 

The proposal will provide a framework for stakeholders to identify infrastructure proposals. This will provide further information which will be assessed as part of the governance arrangements. 

Engagement or consultation that has taken place as part of this EqIA

The Community Infrastructure Levy and accompanying infrastructure priority lists have been subject to extensive public consultation. 

Feedback 

Government regulations require councils to report annually on the collection and spend of developer contributions. These annual monitoring reports provide transparency, both for those paying in to CIL, and for those benefitting as a result. 

This policy, strategy, project or service does not require an EqIA because the proposed governance arrangements set out the process for which future decisions will be made. The report does not make choices about the specific use of infrastructure which may or may not have a bearing on the lives of local people. That said, the importance of ensuring future decisions are fair and equitable will be developed through the governance groups tasked to take this process forward and this EqIA will be reviewed and updated if required. 

EqIA sign off