West Bridgford Expressions of Interest

West Bridgford Neighbourhood CIL Fund

 

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge which local authorities can use to raise funds from developments within their area. The majority of CIL receipts (Strategic CIL) are used to help fund the strategic infrastructure projects which are needed to support new development, as set out in the Borough Council’s Infrastructure List. The Borough Council adopted the levy on 7 October 2019.

 

A set amount of CIL receipts collected in each area of the Borough are passed to the Town/Parish Council for that area as Neighbourhood CIL. That local council will then apply that money to support the development of their area. In West Bridgford, which does not have a Town/Parish Council, Neighbourhood CIL funds are instead spent by the Borough Council. This is done through engaging with the communities where development has taken place, identifying the priorities expressed by those communities, and applying the funding in accordance with those priorities.

 

The use of this Neighbourhood CIL funding is more flexible than the Strategic CIL – funds can be used towards projects involving:

 

• The provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure; or
• Anything else that is concerned with addressing the demands that development places on an area

 

Below are some examples of projects that local community groups might secure Neighbourhood CIL funding towards (this list is not exhaustive):

 

• Improvements to existing community facilities (accessibility improvements, purchase of equipment, energy efficiency schemes)
• Public realm improvements (benches, tree planting, notice boards, public art)
• Community safety measures (CCTV, lighting, defibrillators)
• Outdoor leisure (play equipment, allotments, sports facilities)
• Community outreach projects (community events, projects tackling social isolation, mental health support schemes)

 

As part of this process, the Borough Council has developed an Expression of Interest (EOI) Form – a way for community groups/organisations to submit outline project ideas for West Bridgford and check their suitability for Neighbourhood CIL funding. Detailed ideas are not needed at this stage, though any extra information that can be supplied will be useful to the assessment process.

 

If you have any questions about Neighbourhood CIL funding, please contact our Planning Contributions team at planningcontributions@rushcliffe.gov.uk

 

Download the Expressions of Interest Form:

EOI Form Word[MS Word]

EOI Form PDF[PDF (Form-Fillable)]

 

Process Overview

 

• Any organisation seeking West Bridgford Neighbourhood CIL funding should first submit a completed Expression of Interest Form – copies of which are available on the Borough Council’s website. The EOI stage is primarily to identify potential schemes in West Bridgford, and the form only seeks a base level of information about proposed projects. More detail on the information required at the EOI stage is set out in the guidance which accompanies the form.

 

• Calls for submissions will be advertised every 6 months, but EOI forms will be accepted all year round. To be considered in the next round of assessment, EOIs should be submitted by no later than 30 November 2023. Completed Expressions of Interest forms should be sent to planningcontributions@rushcliffe.gov.uk.

 

• A first assessment of EOIs will be carried out by officers prior to each meeting of the West Bridgford Special Expenses and CIL Advisory Group. This is to make sure projects are eligible for the use of CIL funds in principle – where schemes do not satisfy the CIL requirements, an explanation will be provided.

 

• Views on valid EOI submissions will be sought from the Advisory Group, and a decision will be made as to whether a project should be accepted, rejected, or potentially deferred for future consideration. Feedback will be provided to applicants where appropriate.

 

• Details of successful EOIs will be published on the Borough Council’s website following each meeting of the Advisory Group. A 4-week period of consultation will be carried out on these projects, to seek the views of the West Bridgford community.

 

• Applicants for successful projects will be invited to submit a Detailed Application Form for their proposal. This will seek a more in-depth level of information, including a breakdown of project costs, details of any match funding, further evidence of community and stakeholder support, and links to Borough Council strategies.

 

• We will consider the information along with results of the community consultation and agree a level of funding for each project, up to a current maximum of £25,000 per project. This cap may be reviewed in future.

 

• The results of both the EOI and Detailed Application stages will be publicised alongside the Borough Council’s Annual Infrastructure Funding Statement each year.