Brent's Community Infrastructure Levy funds at record levels but without government policy change unavailable to offset planned £16m cuts

 

SCIL: Strategic Infrastructure Levy NCIL: Neighbourhood Infrastrure Levy

The latest Brent Infrastructure Funding Statement showing how Brent Council has used the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)  in 2023-24 strengthenss the case for relaxation of the restrictions on spending of the funds raised. £143m of Strategic CIL remains unspent and £15.5m of Neighbourhood CIL. 

The Council's 2025-2026 proposes £16m of cuts to council services.

Strategic CIL cannot be used currently for the day to day running of the Council. The Lead Member for Finance in her Forward to the report states that the current shortage of funds for that provision can only be addressed by the Government increasing local government funding.

However, following a suggestion made by Liberal Democrat councillor, Anton Georgiou, Cllr Muhammed Butt and Cllr Shama Tatler have written to the Government LINK calling for more flexibility regarding CIL spending to relieve some of the pressure in the short term:

Easing restrictions does not mean abandoning fiscal responsibility, rather adapting to current realities and the challenges councils are facing. Councils can still practice sound financial management while using CIL more flexibly. Establishing clear guidelines and accountability for the use of CIL funds would ensure that the funds are used effectively and responsibly.

The figures speak for themselves:

 

CIL spending and allocation:

 

Neighbourhood CIL allocations and spend are reported in the Brent Infrastructure Funding Report and too detailed to include here but well worth reviewing. See LINK. 

Overview of area spending

 In addition to CIL Brent can also raise money through Section 106 agreements with developers and these have become significant particularly in housing. Again there is a significant amount of money unspent in the fund:

 

 

 

 

 301 'affordable units' were secured through Section 106 but only four were social rent:

Annual Report on spending of Brent Infrastructure Levy reveals large amount unspent

 

The amount of development in Brent generates Community Infrastructure Levy most of which goes to Brent, some to the GLA. 

The Borough Infrastrutcure Levy (this year £26m rounded) is split into Strategic expenditure and Neighbourhood projects expenditure.

 The amount collected in 2023-23 is on top of the amounts carried forward from previous years. This year, unallocated prior to 2022-23 was £61.5m.

There are restrictions around precisely what Strategic CIL can be spent on.  These are allocations for 2022-23 (actual spending of allocations may be in later years) amounting to £17m.

 

NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY (NCIL)

£2m Neighbourhood CIL allocations were made in 2022-23 for 58 projects some which work across the borough though allocated to a particular NCIL neighbourhood. Note that the two Neighbourhood Forums that also have access to the NCIL made no successful bids this year:

Full details of the projects can be found in the statement embedded at the foot of this article. Note that not all projects allocated funding may actually come to fruition and unspent amounts are carried forward to next year.

SECTION 106 CONTRIBUTIONS

These are agreements made between the Council and developers that enable a development to go ahead by mitigating their impact. £10M was allocated in 2022-23 of which a significant amount went towards 'affordable' housing (Brent's definition). Only 21 of 462 units were at social rent.

CARBON OFFSET FUND

This is a much smaller pot and in 2022-23 £100,000 was distributed to 9 organisations working to reduce carbon emissions in Brent. It is well worth looking at these projects in detail in the full report below.

 

The full report is embedded below including details of Strategic CIL, Neighbourhood CIL, Section 106 projects and the Carbon Offset Fund projects.

Bush Farm and Roe Green Walled Garden among groups to win NCIL funding

 

The barn at Bush Farm, badly in need of attention

My Aunt Muriel haymaking at Bush Farm 80 years ago,  Summer 1942

I was pleased to hear that both Barn Hill Conservation Group and the Bush Farm Collective whose Neighbourhood CIL bids were featured on Wembley Matters LINK LINK, succeeded in winning funding.

The Conservation Group will use the funding for infrastructure work at the Victorian Roe Green Walled Garden, including repairs to the barn that visitors will remember as housing an amazing selection of, well I am not too sure what to call them - bric-a-brac, curios, collectors' items?  Always fascinating.  

The Bush Farm Collective will also be using some of the money for restoration work  on its barn (see above) and fencing.  There are plans for a community garden, toilets and outdoor learning facilities. The Collective now has a farming licence and hope to have a small number of animals on site including sheep.

Bush Farm Collective calls for support for its 'You Decide' bid to broaden activities

 

The Bush Farm Collective, based at Bush Farm, Kingsbury in Fryent Country Park, are seeking support for their community funding bid to improve the facility.

This is their message:

 

Lets make Bush Farm come to life

Bushfarm has held a number of amazing community events so far, now it is looking to broaden its range of activities in a number of ways from eco and agricultural workshops, music and art. Making these accessible to all, including many who usually would not be able to have these opportunities.

 

 

However, it needs your help to make this possible...

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Bush Farm has made an application for funding to go towards a year of educational programs, vegetable garden, outdoor learning facilities and dog safe area including an agility course.

Bushfarm needs Brent residents to vote for it in the current funding round, in order to provide these activities for the community.

 

To vote, simply register first using this LINK. This will give you the time and dates available for you to come and vote. 

 

 The vote is just for the Kingsbury and Kenton Brent Connects area and takes place on Saturday June 25th - Neighbourhood CIL bids are from 1pm to 3.30pm.

Note this is the Kingsbury and Kenton Brent Connects Area so it includes Barn Hill and Chalkhill.

 VENUE:

Kingsbury High School, Tyler's Hall

Bacon Lane

Kingsbury

London

NW9 9AT

View map

Would you like to be part of Bush Farm?

Bush farm is a place of connection, to give people the chance to be involved in projects they may have never had the opportunity to do so before. We are developing partnerships to deliver community and educational activities. You could become a volunteer or even holding your own classes. we would like to be able to share bush farms amazing space for an array of learning and well being.

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Opportunities for volunteers- community gardening, manning events and education programs, marketing and communications

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Ideas for classes you could hold- we can host a range of community activites such as yoga, art, music etc if you would like to be involved in delivering in your area of expertise please be in touch

​

We would love to hear from you. Please send us an email with any questions or ideas.

EMAIL

Brent Community Infrastructure Levy spending 2020-21: Was distribution fair?

 

The Brent Infrastructure Fund Statement 2020-21 has now been published.  LINK It covers the Community Infrastructure Level (CIL) which includes Strategic and Neighbourhood elements, Section 106 and Section 278 Funding.

There are several headline items in the report. The first is the total amount of money in the CIL pot, money derived from the contribution of developers to the general infrastructure of the borough and second, the proportion of that which has not been allocated.

For Strategic CIL  (SCIL) -  out of £95m unspent more than half, £54m has not been allocated to any project. (Rounded figures)  £13m of Neighbourhood CIL (NCIL) was unspent of which £6.5m had not been allocated - slightly less than half.

 

STRATEGIC CIL

So what was SCIL spent on? Wembley got the majority of the funding and that is Wembley Park - Tokyngton Ward (Muhammed Butt's ward) rather than other parts of  Wembley.

Morland Gardens is the controversial redevelopment of the Adult Education Centre at 1 Morland Gardens, Stonebridge.

Details:

Wembley Two Way Working & Wembley North End Road - As identified in the Core Strategy and Wembley Area Action Plan, there is the need for new road connections and junction improvements to support the ongoing development of the  Wembley Growth area. These include two significant road improvement schemes which have been implemented to improve traffic flow and connectivity through the area.

The first phase of the Wembley Two Way working project was completed and operational on 22nd March 2020 and plans for the second phase and further improvements on First Way and South Way are being developed. The new North End Road connector to Bridge Road opened on 11th June 2021 ahead of the EURO 2020 tournament initially operating as a T junction. The Highways and Infrastructure Team are working with Transport for London on signalising the new junction by the end of the year.

Olympic Way Public Realm Improvements – The improvements are a recognition that Wembley Park is an area of national and international importance. The high quality public realm supports the ongoing transformation of the area into a thriving, attractive environment where people want to live with access to shops and entertainment.

Public and private investment for Olympic Way has involved a new treatment to the Bobby Moore Bridge, new hard and soft landscaping throughout, a new crossing at Fulton Road, new lighting, trees, street furniture, wayfinding, WIFI, a new public square, and replacement of the ‘pedway’ with steps, lifts and flexible covered space to form an iconic new entrance to the national stadium.

 

Morland Gardens Education Facility - Is an investment in skills and employability prospects for residents. Cabinet have agreed SCIL contribution towards the redevelopment of the existing adult education facility in Morland Gardens, Stonebridge. The new, mixed use redevelopment will provide an expanded and improved educational facility, along with workspace, a community space and 65 new council homes
 

NEIGHBOURHOOD CIL

 

The CIL Regulations 2010 stipulates that at least 15% of CIL receipts must be spent on neighbourhood project.  Of that 15% up to 25% may be spent on priorities identified by Neighbourhood Forums. Two are established in Harlesden and Sudbury Town and another is under consultation in Kilburn. Neither of the former were allocated anything and £1,5m of the total £2m went to Wembley. Brent Council points out that the projects are recorded in the originating borough but may be for services across the borough, Some of the projects are in initiatives of the Council itself.  

In line with the CIL Regulations, NCIL can be used to fund a very broad range of facilities such as play areas, parks and green spaces, public realm improvements, cultural and sports facilities, healthcare facilities, and other community facilities provided it is concerned with addressing the demands that development places on the area. The NCIL must be spent on priorities agreed in consultation with the local community. These priorities must be aligned with the needs of the local community. 

 
CIL funding has no immediate deadline and therefore is available on a rolling annual basis. It is important to recognise that CIL receipts can only be spent on capital projects, although associated revenue spending to maintain those capital items is also permissible

The discrepancy (often large) between the amount allocated and the actual spend in some one-year projects  is   likely due to the affect of Covid restrictions.  Other projects cober 2 - 3 years.

SECTION 106

Section 106 funds are secured through planning obligations and are site specific (rather than general) to mitigate the impact of development. Clearly the claim on 'affordable housing' needs to be broken down as 'affordable' is such a slippery concept in Brent usage.

 

SECTION 278 HIGHWAYS

 

Paid under the Highways Act where the development requires changes or improvements to the public highway.

 

 

BRENT COUNCIL ANNOUNCES A NEW WAY OF MAKING NEIGHBOURHOOD CIL DECISIONS Neighbourhood CIL presentations start on Wednesday with information on how you can bid for a share of the £2 million available

BRENT COUNCIL ANNOUNCES A NEW WAY OF MAKING NEIGHBOURHOOD CIL DECISIONS

 

From Brent Council

 

We want to make sure you know about an exciting change to the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding. The funding decisions are being handed to Brent residents, organisations and groups who work with and for them, and we are calling this You Decide.

The Five Brent Connects areas (above)  will receive £400,000 each of the £2m total and residents will decide how it is spent, through Participatory Budgeting.

How will this work?

We are inviting residents to join forces with local groups and organisations to decide what they think their area needs. What would make a difference to the lives of people and support them? What changes could funding bids for physical assets make? How could a street, estate, sports club, park or community venue provide more for local people by purchasing physical things? What do local people need?

Constituted organisations can submit a bid to You Decide for a share of the £400,000 for that Brent Connects area. Residents can share ideas with you.

Residents will then have the chance to vote on what they want at Decision Day events. Applications will be presented and voted on in each Brent Connects area. Anyone over 18 can vote.

Everyone is invited to attend the community-based information evenings, as a resident and/or representative of an organisation. Please register at this Eventbrite link. If you can’t attend your area meeting, please sign up for a different one.

You can find more You Decide information at www.brent.gov.uk/youdecide

Do spread the word about You Decide is how £2million of NCIL funding is to be spent. Please also tell us about events we can attend to share information at youdecide@brent.gov.uk.

KEY DATES

 

We want to create real buzz around this and we need your support to spend the money as you think it is best used. 

We want to create real buzz around this and we need your support so the money is spent as needed, and as decided by as many people as possible. 

Please share this information with friends, family, neighbours and all or any groups you belong to, and encourage them to come to an Information Evening – as a potential applicant, or voter – using this Eventbrite link

NCIL PB guidance note

NCIL PB application form (PDF)

NCIL PB application form (Word)

Post-review Brent Neighbourhood CIL bids open - read if you have a project to improve your area

 A new bidding window opened on Monday for groups and community organisations to bid for money from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy for project to improve their area.  In previous years this money has been underspent.

The criteria have been reviewed and the theme for this round is 'Recovery' ..from the Pandemic.

Brent is divided into five ‘CIL Neighbourhoods’: Harlesden, Kilburn and Kensal, Kingsbury and Kenton, Wembley, and Willesden.  The total available is £2m with Wembley allocated £1m and the four other areas £250,000.  Already questions are being asked on social media as to why Wembley gets 4 times the amount allocated to other areas.  Previously the answer provided has been that the Wembley area's residents have been hit more by redevelopment.

Types of project

 

Help is offered for groups in preparing their bids and it is a good idea to contact your councillor to get backing for your project. APPLICATIONS CLOSE ON MAY 3rd.

 

 This is just a summary, full details and application forms are available on the Brent Council website  HERE 

 Below you can find a line of projects previously funded and completion details. Click bottom right corner for enlarged page.

 

£100k plus Brent Neighbourhood CIL awards

 Next Monday's Cabinet Meeting will be asked to approve Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy funding awards worth  more than £100k each. Many smaller projects have also received funding.

These are the details of the large awards:

The shortlisting criteria for all NCIL projects are as follows:

·  Meets the terms of the CIL Regulations (2010) as amended

·  Evidences community backing

·  Addresses the demands that development places on an area

·  Reflects the strategic priorities of the Council & CIL Neighbourhood

·  A one-off scheme that does not require additional revenue funding in its delivery or its operation (or identifies how additional revenue funding may be met)

·  Benefits a diverse Brent community

·  Offers value for money

· £227,272.30 for Ultra Education CIC - It Takes a Village – Black Caribbean Boys of Excellence project: Working across families, schools and communities addressing the root cause of the underachievement of Black Caribbean Boys

·  £197,561.95 for Asian Women's Resource Centre(AWRC) - Revitalise Project: To refurbish the AWRC building in Harlesden so that it is inclusive, accessible, welcoming , safe and comfortable for women, girls and children to access a range of holistic support services offered under one roof

·  £197,561.95 Mobs Ventures Ltd / Slenky Powering Change – Social, Mobile Engagement and Ethical AI Project: Developing and imbedding a digital programme aimed at engaging young people in new skills and employment that development has brought to the borough.

·  £146,698.63 EACH Counselling and Support, Strive Project: A mental health support programme for BME people to recover from the impact of Mental Health, Domestic Violence and Substance Misuse. Providing culturally sensitive Education Training Employment and counselling support.

Ultra Education – It takes a Village

1.     Ultra Education sought funds to use entrepreneurship as a vehicle to increase the life chances and close the gaps in educational attainment and achievement of Black Caribbean Boys in Brent; positively tackling the disproportionate educational outcomes by bringing about a transformation in their school, community and home.

2.    The ‘It Takes a Village programme’ will provide:

·  Improved education, training, employment, and professional development within the community

·  Improved supported learning at home

·  Increased parent participation

·  Increased understanding of complex trauma within both the

School and African Caribbean communities

·  Increased long term educational attainment and achievement through improving independent learning

3.    The Project meets the CIL regulations by ensuring that regeneration has a positive impact on local communities who are not skilled to or do not have the voice to take advantage of opportunities in their environment e.g. jobs, volunteering and training. This project challenges these low expectations by strengthening the communities’ voice, improving Black Caribbean Boys attainment and skills and establishing a legacy of achievement and excellence that will be built on in following generations of young people achieving a permanent approach to address the demands of development across Brent. The project is for 18 months with a plan to sustain this project longer term with alternative funding.

4.     Project will be delivered across the Borough of Brent with community support for the project based on cross borough organisations representing the target groups.

5.    Ultra Education are registered on Companies house as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in Primary Education.

Women Asian Resource Centre - Revitalise

1.     Women Asian Resource Centre (AWRC) sought funds to refurbish the AWRC building in Harlesden so that it is inclusive, accessible, welcoming, safe and comfortable for women, girls and children to access a range of holistic support services offered under one roof.

2.    The project will

·  Renovate outside of the building, rendering of the brickwork at the front and sides.

·  Renovate ground floor to improve ventilation and improve wheelchair accessibility.

·  Renovate first floor to improve facilities for varied use of activities e.g. cooking, yoga, workshops

3.    The project meets the CIL regulations by improving facilities of a cultural hub in the community for women experiencing or have experienced abuse.

4.    The community support has been provided by a survey completed about the project proposal and capturing over 100 residents supporting the proposal primarily from Harlesden however the project will support borough wide.

5.    Asian Women Resource Centre is a registered charity that provides holistic support services to BAME women and children and prioritises work on issues around violence against women.

Mobs Ventures Ltd / Slenky

1.    Mobs Ventures Slenky sought funds to develop and implement a digital programme in Brent that connects 13 – 24 year olds with Shots (opportunities) related to their passions and interests. Shots are centralised on a content platform and distributed/targeted as social content. Future engagement is digital. Slenky digitally empowers young people, making organisations and opportunities digitally and socially accessible to all.

2.    The project will deliver for young people in Brent, including students in Brent schools

·  Free technology to search for/be notified of opportunities

·  Improved long-term employment and economic prospects

·  Improved early understanding of their Passions, interests and skills

·  Improved early understanding of the relationship between their passions and different sectors

·  Improved engagement with new and traditional sectors

·  Improved early awareness of ‘firewalled’ and out of reach sectors

·  Presented with higher earning sectors and skills at an earlier age

·  Feel empowered to independently explore and secure opportunities

·  Have increased access to non-employment opportunities e.g. cultural, well-being, sport

·  Have access to digital work experience and digital employment opportunities within the Slenky team

3.The project meets the CIL regulations by developing a sustainable digital programme that will support the engagement of young people within the new businesses and work opportunities within the growing commercial and residential developments in Brent.

4. The community support provided is a number of letters from key cross borough organisations working with young people.

5. Mobs Venture is registered on Companies house as a private limited company

EACH Counselling and Support - STRIVE

1.     The EACH counselling sought funds for running and staffing costs to deliver the STRIVE, Mental Health Support Programme over one year.

2.    The project will provide: Culturally sensitive based Employment Training and Education (ETE) and Mental Health (MH) counselling support for 150 vulnerable BMEs aged 18+ who need specialist support to identify, achieve and maintain their ETE goals and manage their MH Aims, reduce the impact of overall inequalities faced by BMEs in recovery from Domestic Violence, MH, or Substance Misuse so they achieve their ETE goals and maximise every opportunity to succeed.

3.    The Project meets the CIL regulations by meeting the significantly increasing and diverse population needs e.g. increased need and demand for specialist support will rise in line with population growth. STRIVE will provide support to people living in the allocated social housing in new developments. Both short and long-term residents living in deprivation and or financial hardship will benefit from the service and have every opportunity to success along with their counterparts living in commercial and private allocated housing in the same developments. Strive will addresses barriers to employment by providing clients with flexible support across the 4 CIL neighbourhoods in a range of community languages.

4.    Community support for the project is a number of local resident signatures supporting the project primarily from Harlesden however, project will work across borough.

5.    EACH Counselling and support is a registered charity whose principal activities are to facilitate and sustain positive changes in the lives of individuals, families and communities affected by problems arising from alcohol & drug misuse, domestic violence & related mental health concerns, by offering treatment services that are responsive high quality and provide effective & integrated interventions.

 Other funded projects

Another 19 projects were awarded below the value of £100,000 totalling £1,230,905.17. 

 

6 projects are addressing early intervention with children, young people and families to the value of £405,954
1 project is supporting the black community and voluntary sector - grant funding and procurement to the value of £85,995

2 projects are supporting embedding equalities to the value of £95,390
3 projects are providing support for employment and enterprise to the value of £219,503
2 projects are tackling health inequalities to the value of £167,206
3 projects are addressing the Impact of COVID19 to the value of £148,537
2 projects are addressing wider inequalities to the value of £113,359