Agenda item

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Funding

Decision:

1. That the Strategic Procedural Overview for CIL allocation and spending which apportions percentages of the CIL retained by the city council be revised to reflect 40% for community / health / active travel / transport schemes and 60% for strategic district schemes, as detailed in appendix 1 of CAB3547.

2. That the ongoing commitment to the joint Movement Strategy with Hampshire County Council be noted, supporting the coordinated delivery of transport and active travel infrastructure that helps address the impacts of development on local communities.

3. That a funding allocation of £1,088,638 from Winchester City Council CIL income receipts be and the expenditure under Financial Procedure rule 7.4 be approved, using the existing CIL funded community grants budget, for the following community-led projects:

a) Chesil Theatre, Winchester - extension and refurbishment: £200,000

b) Wickham pavilion: £150,000

c) Theatre Royal, Winchester - boilers and lighting: £78,000

d) Colden Common - skatepark and MUGA: £30,000

e) Kings Worthy – allotments: £35,525

f) The Gurkha Museum - reconfiguration, ramps and toilets: £64,707

g) Winchester City Museum - exhibition upgrade and remodelling: £200,000

h) Trinity, Winchester - new heating system: £32,000

i) Christ Church, Winchester - lifts and toilets: £92,300

j) Colden Common Bowls Club - ramp and safety barrier: £10,000

k) The Carroll Centre, Winchester - toilets and kitchen: £102,251

l) Knowle MUGA: £30,000

m) Durley Village Hall - kitchen: £22,905

n) Boarhunt pavilion: £40,950

4. That it be noted that four applications were refused.

5. That it be noted that one application was referred to Winchester Town Forum for consideration to be funded from Winchester Town CIL.

6. That it be noted that £110,000 previously allocated to three community schemes that are no longer going ahead - Otterbourne pedestrian crossing, Twyford cycle route and Knowle pump track - can be released back to the fund for future allocation.

7. That a capital budget and funding allocation of £359,695 in 2026/27 from Winchester City Council CIL income receipts be approved, ring-fenced to support transport and active travel projects and the expenditure be approved under Financial Procedure rule 7.4, for the following Hampshire County Council projects:

a) Swanmore to Bishops Waltham - footpath/cycleway: £300,000

b) Itchen Valley - path improvements: £59,695

8. That a CIL allocation of £331,000 be approved to the following council-led projects, subject to approval of a full business case:

a) Winchester Cathedral - solar PV installation: £107,000

b) Winchester Science Centre - solar PV installation: £224,000

9. That an increase of £30,000 be approved, funded by CIL, to the existing capital budget of £60,000 for solar PV at Meadowside Leisure Centre and approve its expenditure, bringing the total budget approved for expenditure to £90,000.

10. That a capital budget of £110,000 in 2026/27 be approved (subject to approval of by Winchester Town Forum report WFT343) allocated from Neighbourhood (Town) CIL income receipts and the expenditure under Financial Procedure rule 7.4 be approved for the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) improvement at St Matthews Field, Weeke.

11. That a CIL allocation of £4.5m to the Central Winchester Regeneration scheme be approved, previously earmarked for this purpose in CAB3484.

12. That authority be delegated to the Strategic Director responsible for CIL to approve funding allocations from Winchester City Council CIL income receipts to community, health, active travel and transport fund projects.

13. That authority be delegated to the S151 officer to approve capital budget and expenditure up to £500k for community, health, active travel and transport fund projects.

Minutes:

Councillor Porter introduced the report which set out proposals for CIL funding across the district, highlighting the geographical spread and different types of funding proposed.

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillors Lee and Horrill addressed Cabinet as summarised below.

Councillor Lee

Councillor Lee supported the principles of CIL and welcomed the worthwhile investments that benefited residents across the district. However, he raised concerns regarding fairness and geographic balance, noting that approximately 90% of proposed funding appeared to be allocated to urban areas. He asked how the council would ensure that future CIL funding benefited the whole district and queried what safeguards would accompany the proposed new delegated powers to ensure transparency and accountability.

Councillor Horrill

Councillor Horrill acknowledged the importance of CIL in enabling significant projects and supported a more agile, shorter application process for the community fund. She questioned whether the proposed officer delegation level of £500,000 was appropriate for maintaining transparency and requested a clearer explanation regarding the £4.5 million allocation to the Central Winchester Regeneration (CWR) scheme. She queried the appropriateness of the proposal to fund solar panels for the cathedral, suggesting that an organisation with significant unrestricted funds should have progressed the project independently.

Councillor Porter, together with the Corporate Head of Economy and Community and Strategic Directors responded to the comments made including emphasising that a significant portion of the rural district was within the South Downs National Park who had their own separate CIL scheme.

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out in the report and outlined above.

RESOLVED: