Decision Details

Decision Subject To Call In

CIL spending and Infrastructure Funding Statement

ES/2528

Yes

Committee

Cabinet

Tue 7 Oct 2025

No

Report of the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management

The contents of the CIL Spending Report and approve the recommendations (section 7 of the CIL Spending Report) of the CIL Spending Working Group to award or reject the requests for the District CIL funding for projects proposed to support the planned new housing developments across the East Suffolk area. Approve the draft Infrastructure Funding Statement 2024-25

Planning & Coastal Management

Ben Woolnough 
Head of Planning, Building Control and Coastal Management 
ben.woolnough@eastsuffolk.gov.uk

Nicola Parrish 
Infrastructure Delivery Manager 
Nicola.parrish@eastsuffolk.gov.uk

See report

Yes

That Cabinet:

1. Noted the contents of the CIL Spending Report (Appendix A) namely the Local CIL funding awards, the two cases of forward funding of Neighbourhood CIL and the increased ringfencing of £14.2m District CIL by the CIL Spending Working Group to secure Health and Education projects proposed to be delivered over the next 5-year period. 

2. Approved the recommendations (section 7 of the CIL Spending Report) of the CIL Spending Working Group to award or reject the requests for the District CIL funding for projects proposed to support the planned new housing developments across the East Suffolk area.

3. Approved the draft Infrastructure Funding Statement 2024-25 (Appendix B) for publication, subject to minor amendments to be approved through the Chair of the CIL Spending Working Group/Cabinet Member for Planning. Publication to be made by 31 December 2025 statutory deadline.

To ensure that infrastructure projects that are funded through District CIL are well planned, meet strategic objectives, support new housing growth that is happening in the area and are delivered in the short term.

 

To ensure systems around the allocation of forward funding of Neighbourhood CIL are robust and transparent.

 

 To ensure ongoing and annual review of the CIL Spending approach to address emerging risks and changes in legislation and statutory guidance.

 

 To comply with the CIL Regulation 2010 (as amended) and publish the 2024-25 Infrastructure Funding Statement within required deadlines.

Since the allocation and spend of CIL Funding is set out in legislation there are limited options to deviate from the processes that are necessary to ensure statutory requirements are acted on. The CIL Spending Strategy describes the why and how decisions are made in relation to funding infrastructure projects through CIL.

 

Other Councils that pool their CIL to deliver on shared strategic aims have not then been able to ensure that the CIL is directed to the right infrastructure at the right time in a reactive way to the growth that is happening in their areas. This has also resulted in risk of borrowing against estimated future receipts that are unpredictable in their timing and increased borrowing costs that CIL is not permitted to cover. Other risk can also materialise such as the inability of Health Services to expand in an area of growth, thus putting the local population at increased risk.

Where councils have passed District CIL straight into a Capital Programme Fund, there is conflict between spending on other priorities. This means the CIL is then not available to ensure the new housing growth is sustainable through delivery of critical and essential infrastructure such as health centres and schools. 

Councillor David Beavan - other registerable interest as a member of Southwold Rugby Club. Recused from vote. 

None