Community Infrastructure Levy - Consultation

Monday, December 05th, 2011 | Posted in : |

Members of the Yorkshire and Humber Rural Network are currently taking part in the consultation on the Community Infrastructure Levy.
The Government is interested in hearing your views on its proposed changes to the Community Infrastructure Levy to allow local communities to have a greater say on what the levy is spent on.The Community Infrastructure Levy allows a charging authority to levy a charge on the owners or developers of land that is developed so that they contribute to the costs of providing infrastructure needed to support the development of that area.The Government has set out proposals to reform the Community Infrastructure Levy in the Localism Bill. The changes require charging authorities to pass a meaningful proportion of levy receipts to the neighbourhood (where the development took place) to decide on how to invest the funds into the community.
The consultation also welcomes views on providing local authorities with an option to use the Community Infrastructure Levy to deliver affordable housing where doing so would demonstrate better value for money and better support delivery of local policies, including
for any off-site provision. The Yorkshire and Humber Network is seeking your views on the following questions:
1. Should the duty to pass on a meaningful proportion of levy receipts only apply where there is a parish or community council for the area where those receipts were raised?
2. Do you agree that, for areas not covered by a parish or community council,statutory guidance should set out that charging authorities should engage with their residents and businesses in determining how to spend a meaningful proportion of the funds?
3. Do you agree that parish or community councils must report on levy funding (income and expenditure of levy receipts) on at least a yearly basis through statutory guidance, to ensure a transparent process. Do these proposed reporting requirements on parish or community councils strike the right balance between transparency and administrative burden?
4. Statutory guidance requires that a report on levy funding is to be published on the parish or community councils website, however it is recognised that not all parish or community councils will have a website. Views on appropriate alternatives are welcomed.
5. Do you consider that local authorities should be given the choice to be able if they wish to use levy receipts for affordable housing?
6. Do you consider that local authorities should be given the choice to be able if they wish to use both the levy and planning obligations to deliver local affordable housing priorities?
7. If local authorities are to be permitted to use both instruments, what should they be required to do to ensure that the choices being made are transparent and fair?

This consultation is of interest to all community groups, support organisations, stakeholders and active members of the community
Please send in your views by Monday 12th of December to Ed Poulter:Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or Post: Ed Poulter, Rural Policy Officer, Involve Yorkshire & Humber, 131 The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 5RD

Join the Discussion

There are no comments for this entry yet. Why not start the discussion? - use the form below:

Commenting is not available in this section entry.

Next entry: Social Ventures

Previous News Item: Advice Services Fund (ASF) now open