How we spend CIL - Local Funding

Some of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies received can be passed to local councils as a Local, or Neighbourhood, Fund.  The Government regulations state that a minimum of 15% of the funds raised within a parish should be passed as the local portion. This will rise to 25% where a neighbourhood plan is in place. However, in West Lancashire there are no neighbourhood plans, therefore 15% of funds will be passed on.

This local portion makes sure that infrastructure improvements can be made directly in the areas where the development takes place. Projects may include new equipment for a local play area or new benches in a local park.

Parished areas

The parish councils must spend their neighbourhood fund on infrastructure in their local area, in consultation with their local community. The neighbourhood portion of the levy can be spent on a wider range of things than the rest of the levy, provided it meets the requirement to ‘support the development of the area’. The wider definition means that the neighbourhood portion can be spent on things other than infrastructure, such as funding affordable housing. 

Parish councils should work closely with their community, neighbouring parish councils and the borough council to agree on infrastructure spending priorities. If you live in a parish area then you can contact your parish council to get involved in identifying local projects. 

Parish councils must spend their levy portion within five years of receipt. If the monies are not spent, or are not spent on appropriate infrastructure schemes, we can require the parish council to repay some, or all, of those funds back to us.

Parish councils must administer their neighbourhood portion and publish annual reports each year on their website, or on the Borough Council's website, stating how much they have received and spent.

You can view specific guidance for parish councils on using their CIL funds.

Non-parished areas

In those areas that do not have parish council (Ormskirk and Skelmersdale), we will retain the 15% as the neighbourhood portion. We will consult with the local communities to identify the priorities and schemes with which to spend the neighbourhood portion. 

It is unlikely that CIL monies will be received in Skelmersdale because a zero rate applies to most development across most of the area.

However, the Council have now received CIL neighbourhood monies for the Ormskirk area. How the neighbourhood monies for Ormskirk should be spent will be consulted on alongside the Strategic monies consultation each autumn.  To give us your comments on the neighbourhood monies, please see the CIL consultation information.