Community Infrastructure Levy - what is it and how can we spend it?
When houses are built the local authority, i.e. Bristol City Council, can take an infrastructure levy. This means they get money from developers to offset the impact of the development. This money can go toward providing services for those new homes, whether that’s for roads, social care, community policing etc. A small percentage of this infrastructure levy is made available to communities to identify projects that they would like to see happen. The projects must relate to infrastructure needs in the area e.g. provision of local services, play areas, transport issues, public footpaths, litter bins etc - and they are usually capital projects or ‘things you can kick’ although they are sometimes also public art projects.
The process for allocating these local funds is via our local Councillors and something called area committees. Local Councillors put forward ideas, work with officers and the community to see if they are viable and then debate with other councillors in an area committee to decide who should get the money. Inevitably wards and their Councillors within an area committee feel they are competing for limited funds, and with little funds and expensive projects from different areas the risk is that either everywhere gets a few small things funded, or one area gets the lot and everyone else feels left out, or nothing is spent to let the pot grow a little - so the whole things can feel like a lot of effort for very little gain!
However, identifying local projects is helpful because potentially there are other sources of funding to meet the costs so it is worth speaking to your local Councillors early and gathering other friends and neighbours in the area who support your idea so you can get a project group going.
More details about the whole process can be found here.
There is a chance to discuss with the community ideas and priorities for CIL at the community forum on Thursday 18 March, details below:
OUR LOCKLEAZE COMMUNITY FORUM
Time: Mar 18, 2021 07:00 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99185630233?pwd=VERJSDcxc0ZYNG8xQUpRRmdHUjE4UT09
Meeting ID: 991 8563 0233
Passcode: Lockleaze
Facebook poll of community preference for different ideas. Non scientific non binding poll projects still need to follow the CIL process to be considered. Contact your local Councillor to find out more.