Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director Planning and Development.

Purpose of report

To provide an overview of the Section 106 agreement and infrastructure delivery process, and a review of infrastructure delivery in Cherwell from a health perspective.

1.         Recommendations

The Overview and Scrutiny committee resolves:

1.1         To note a presentation covering:

·         An overview of how section 106 obligations are agreed

·         An overview of how section 106 obligations monitored and delivered

·         Factors and constraints behind infrastructure delivery

·         A spotlight on s106 health contributions

1.2         To note key findings for health contributions currently held by the Council and trends in health contributions secured between 2019/20 and 2024/25.

Resolved

(1)          That the Performance of S106 Delivery presentation be noted.

(2)          That the key findings for health contributions currently held by the Council and trends in health contributions secured between 2019/20 and 2024/25 be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the Assistant Director Planning that provided an overview of the Section 106 agreement and infrastructure delivery process, and a review of infrastructure delivery in Cherwell from a health perspective.

In introducing the report, the Team Leader Planning Enforcement advised that Section 106 (S106) agreements secured infrastructure contributions to mitigate the impacts of development.

The Council was required to publish an annual Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS) setting out contributions secured, received, held and spent. The report provided an overview of the S 106 process and highlighted the factors that influenced both the securing and delivery of obligations, with a focus on health contributions in Cherwell.

In response to a question regarding the implementation of infrastructure as a result of development, with particular focus on health provision, and whether in lieu of input from parties such as the Integrated Care Board (ICB) the Council be eligible to fulfil the role of developer, the Executive Director Place and Regeneration explained that should the situation arise, the council would have powers to act in such a capacity, but market interest and input from suitable developers with better market intelligence would be sought first.

In response to a question regarding the expansion of primary care provision as a result of developer contributions as part of S106 agreements, and whether the Council had any involvement in the ICB’s decision making process for requesting sufficient funds to support growth in housing provision within the District, the Executive Director Place and Regeneration explained that the Council had the powers to request involvement in that process, but were not in that position currently.

In a follow up question regarding the Committee’s ability to make recommendations to the Executive on expansion of primary care provision, the Executive Director Place and Regeneration advised that such involvement would result in the Council’s intervention in the aforementioned processes officers would have to take that away for further discussion.

In response to a question regarding whether the lack of requests for funding from the ICB was linked to staffing provision issues, the Team Leader Planning Enforcement explained that the Council was not privy to that information and therefore could not comment on the reasoning behind the ICB’s decisions.

In response to a question regarding S106 contributions for healthcare from 48% of developments since 2021 and whether the remaining 52% was made up of developments that did not require health contributions, the Team Leader Planning Enforcement explained that the contributions were received from the development of residential sites and that not all  of those sites included within the percentage demonstrated a need for contributions for health provisions.

In response to a question regarding what S106 contributions would typically be used for the Team Leader Planning Enforcement explained that contributions would consist of capital contributions with the intention of building improvements, and any contributions would be subject to demonstrable need.

Resolved

(1)          That the Performance of S106 Delivery presentation be noted.

(2)          That the key findings for health contributions currently held by the Council and trends in health contributions secured between 2019/20 and 2024/25 be noted.