Agenda item

To receive and consider a consultation from west Oxfordshire District Council – please folow the link to access :- https://planningconsultation.westoxon.gov.uk/consult.ti/DeveloperContributionsSPD/consultationHome

The Committee received and considered a consultation from West Oxfordshire District Council concerning developer contributions.  Members discussed the fact that the document would not be accessible in terms of language and terminology used to a lot of the general public.  The Committee also wished to have more autonomy and influence on where and how developer contributions were spent in the town.

RESOLVED: -       that the following response be submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council: -

This consultation does not communicate clearly to the public the intentions of how funding from developers will be sought.  It is 83 pages long and it does not summarise clearly at the front what will happen. The consultation appears impenetrable and unwieldy and the Town Council is concerned that the public may not understand and be able to engage with this.

The Town Council believe that the whole town is impacted by strategic development and wishes to be able to exercise discretion in where the developer contributions are spent, which is the whole point of the Community Infrastructure Levy.

The Town Council would appreciate much better collaboration between the three tiers of Council in terms of Section 106 contributions, to seek out and find solutions for the spending of Section 106 funds and a more transparent tracking system that allows the Town Council to know what has been allocated to Witney.

The Town Council would also appreciate an “easy read” version that everyone is able to understand.