Issue - meetings

Recommendations

1)    To agree and approve the North Yorkshire Infrastructure Business Plan inclusive of the CIL spending recommendations for 2025/26 and agree publication on the website.

2)    To approve the 2024/25 North Yorkshire Infrastructure Funding Statement and publication on the Council website.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director of Community Development in which approval was sought for the Infrastructure Business Plan, including its strategic approach, assessment process for spending Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), and recommendation for CIL allocation.  Approval was also sought for the 2024/25 North Yorkshire Council Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement for publication on the North Yorkshire Council website.

Councillor David Webster made a statement in relation to the previously committed funding of £330k for Bedale 3G pitch, which was proposed for removal from the current list of projects and reconsideration next year.  Councillor Webster requested that the funding not be withdrawn, as to do so would damage confidence in the scheme and potentially cause delay in obtaining football foundation match funding. Evidence had already been provided of the need and deliverability of the scheme.

The Executive Member for Open to Business, Councillor Mark Crane, introduced the report and clarified that the intention was to reprofile spend and not withdraw support, as it was not clear that the money could be spent in the current year, and proposed that the recommendation be amended to keep the £300k ringfenced for the Bedale 3G pitch. Authority would be required to be delegated to the Corporate Director in consultation with the Executive Member to amend the business plan.  

Resolved (unanimously)

1)    that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Community Development in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business to amend the Infrastructure Business Plan to include ringfencing of £330k for the Bedale 3G pitch

2)    the North Yorkshire Infrastructure Business Plan inclusive of the CIL spending recommendations for 2025/26 and be agreed for publication on the website

3)    the 2024/25 North Yorkshire Infrastructure Funding Statement and be agreed for publication on the Council website

Reasons for recommendations

The recommendations will:

·         Provide clarity, transparency and consistency in the allocation and spending of CIL receipts.

·         Ensure CIL receipts are spent on infrastructure required to support development, in accordance with the CIL Regulations 2010 specifically as amended in September 2019 (‘the CIL Regulations’).

·         Ensure CIL serves its purpose of supporting the delivery of the infrastructure necessary to support development in North Yorkshire.

·         Meet statutory obligations for approval and publication of the Infrastructure Funding Statement.

Alternative options considered

An option considered was not to recommend any projects for funding. This approach was rejected because the identified projects are necessary to support the levels of growth set out in the relevant Local Plans and advancing the Council’s place-shaping ambitions. Without this investment, the ability to support sustainable development and meet strategic objectives would be significantly compromised. 

In relation to the IFS there is no alternative, as failing to publish the document would mean that the Council would not meet the requirements of the Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment) (England) (No.2) Regulations 2019.