Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision

The Council helps to mitigate the impact of housing development on local facilities and amenities by using S106 contributions from developers. The Officer’s report:

a.    referenced the generic and specific S106 funds that were available in the contribution types within the Executive Councillor’s remit (play provision for children and teenagers and informal open spaces);

b.    recommended that the remaining generic S106 play provision funds with time limits in the next few years be allocated to eligible play area improvement projects, supplemented by relevant specific contributions for those play areas;

c.    looked ahead to a range of further projects, funded from specific S106 contributions, which would need to be developed in the coming years as part of a programmed approach;

d.    provided an update on how the business intelligence platform behind the Council’s Outdoor Play Investment Strategy was helping to identify options for seeking specific S106 contributions from new developments for high priority play areas.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Open Spaces and City Services

      i.          Allocated, subject to local consultation and business case sign-off, the remaining generic S106 contributions for play provision to the following project proposals alongside the specific contributions already received for those projects:

a.    Allocate strategic S106 funds from a major development close to the boundaries of South, East and West/Central areas (around £18,300), alongside relevant specific contributions (currently around £7,500), for improvements to Lammas Land play area;

b.    Allocate the remaining generic contributions from Romsey ward (around £3,800), alongside relevant specific contributions (currently around £8,800), for improvements to the Romsey Rec play area;

c.    Allocate generic S106 contributions from Queen Edith’s (around £6,500), alongside relevant specific contributions (currently around £3,700), for improvements to Nightingale Avenue Rec play area;

d.    Allocate the remaining generic S106 contributions from Abbey ward (around £5,400), alongside relevant specific contributions (currently around £11,500), for improvements to Ditton Fields play area;

e.    Allocate the remaining generic S106 contributions from Cherry Hinton ward (around £5,200), alongside relevant specific contributions (currently around £4,700) for improvements to Reilly Way play area.

     ii.          Noted:

a.    The Council would make arrangements for the specific contribution for Kathleen Elliot Way play area (around £4,700) to be used to improve that play area; and

b.    The current ‘target list’ being used to seek specific S106 contributions for play area improvements, based on the business intelligence platform behind the Council’s new Outdoor Play Investment Strategy (see Section 6 and Appendix D of the Officer’s report).

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

See Officer’s report.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Technical & Specialist Services Manager.

 

The Technical & Specialist Services Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.          Lighting provision/enhancement was not usually funded by S106 as it required ongoing revenue costs. S106 contributions could not fund running costs. If areas such as Chesterton Rec wanted more street lighting they could apply for other funds such as Environmental Improvement Programme.

     ii.          S106 could not fund maintenance costs such as areas like Romsey Rec wanting repairs to railings. Nor could s106 be used to maintain surfaces such as Cherry Hinton Hall play area. However S106 could be used to improve facilities.

   iii.          There were rules that officers had to follow to allocate S106 funding.

   iv.          Was happy to look at issues raised in committee debate after the meeting then liaise with the Urban Growth Project Manager, other Officers and Councillors.

 

The Urban Growth Project Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.          Details published on the City Council website included an overview of how the Council uses S106 funding and recently completed S106-funded projects.

     ii.          A programmed approach was needed to the use of S106 funding, so that those contributions with more immediate time limits were used on relevant projects first. Projects based on S106 contributions with longer timescales would be developed at a later stage. Referred to section 5 of the Officer’s report.

 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.