The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) came into force in April 2010.   It allows local authorities in England and Wales to raise funds from new building projects being undertaken by developers in their area. The money may be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure that is needed as a result of development.  This includes new or safer roads schemes, flood defences, schools, hospitals and other health and social care facilities, park improvements, green spaces and leisure centres.

The charging authority in this area is the planning authority, Huntingdonshire District Council and it is to that authority that CIL payments are made.

However, under the Localism Act, the government requires charging authorities to allocate a ‘meaningful proportion’ of the levy collected in each neighbourhood back to that neighbourhood, the idea being that because the neighbourhood bears the brunt of the impact of development than the neighbourhood should be helped financially to manage that impact.

In Kimbolton and Stonely there is little impact of development, largely because of the District Council’s policy of concentrating major residential development on the market towns, but there have been one or two small developments and contributions are starting to be received in respect of those.

The amount passed on to towns and parishes is currently 15% of the total received by the District Council for developments.