Published on Wednesday 18 December 2019
Residents, businesses and community groups are being given an opportunity to help shape the future of their town by submitting bids for the Poole CIL Neighbourhood Portion fund.
The Poole CIL Neighbourhood Portion fund is being made available through the Government's Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - a locally set planning charge on development that is intended for reinvestment in local infrastructure such as education, transport, health and community facilities.
This national framework allows 15% of CIL charges collected by the local authority to be set aside for a neighbourhood portion. People can submit projects for neighbourhood portion funding that meet their local needs and deliver community benefits in areas where development has taken place.
First launched in August 2017, the Poole CIL Neighbourhood Portion fund has already allocated over £2 million for a range of local projects that have improved the day-to-day life of residents. During this latest bidding round, people living in Poole can submit their bids, up to and including Friday 24 January 2020. Funding can be for a couple of hundred pounds to over £100,000, in exceptional circumstances. Projects can potentially include:
• Improvements to open spaces
• Enhancements to play equipment in local areas
• Improvements to shopping areas
• Installation of public art
• Investment in community facilities
• Capital or revenue projects such as operation or maintenance of infrastructure
People residing in the Poole Quays Forum Neighbourhood Plan area and Broadstone Forum Neighbourhood Plan area have their own CIL Neighbourhood Fund money so they will not be permitted to submit bids to this CIL Neighbourhood Portion fund.
Councillor Margaret Phipps Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning said:
"We are pleased to make the latest round of funding available and we hope local organisations will take advantage of this opportunity. We would encourage groups to discuss their ideas with their Ward Councillors and relevant council departments to help shape their bids before submission. In this round, there’s over £500,000 available to support a range of projects both large or small. This has the potential to make a real difference in the community, so please make sure to share your projects with us for consideration."
To find out more about the Neighbourhood Portion and how to submit bids, please visit: www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/PooleCILNeighbourhoodPortion
Projects that have previously been funded by CIL include the refurbishment of Hamworthy Paddling Pool, Branksome Recreation Ground, Canford Heath Community centre, Skate park and play at Turlin Moor, Baiter Skate Park Refurbishment and a new play park at Upton Country Park. The former Bournemouth and Christchurch and East Dorset Councils have their own approach to spending CIL Neighbourhood Funds. Moving forward, BCP Council will be exploring new ways of having a standard approach to spending CIL Neighbourhood Funds across the area.