What is the Community Infrastructure Levy?

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a planning charge, introduced by the Planning Act 2008 as a tool for local authorities in England and Wales to help deliver infrastructure to support the development of their area. It came into force on 6 April 2010 through the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010.

CIL is a levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area. The money should be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the council, local community and neighbourhoods want.

For background information as to how CIL works please read the Planning Practice Guidance on CIL at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/community-infrastructure-levy

CIL in Wokingham

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) has adopted a CIL Charging Schedule which sets out the rate per square metre for charged developments which is payable on commencement of Permitted Development as well as Planning Permission development.

The WBC Infrastructure Team are responsible for administering the collection of CIL, payments to parish and town councils and district spending.

CIL in Barkham – NEIGHBOURHOOD CIL

A portion of the CIL received by Wokingham is passed to the parish or town council where development is taking place. This will be 15% without a Neighbourhood Plan in place or 25% if the parish has a Neighbourhood Plan in place. The Arborfield and Barkham Neighbourhood Plan (NP) was passed at referendum on 22 April 2020.

Barkham Parish Council need to decide how to spend this part of the levy and will be mindful that it has a duty to spend CIL income on providing, improving, replacing, operating or maintaining infrastructure that supports the development of the parish council area or anything else concerned with addressing the demands that development places on the area. The CIL Regulations 2010 as amended provide for the parish council to spend the CIL income they receive from the Borough Council on either:

The provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure;

Anything else that is concerned with addressing the demands that development places on an area.

Annual Financial Reports on CIL for each parish or town council receiving CIL detailing how the money has been spent must be published on the town or parish councils own websites, and Barkham’s reports can be found on the finances page.

You tell us

So, tell us what we should spend the money on. Ultimately, whatever we decide as a community must be realistic and achievable.

You can write to or email the Clerk (contact details here)

It is only by giving the Parish Council your views and suggestions that we will be certain of making the best use of this money. Please tell us what you suggest we do with it.

To view Our CIL Policy click here

To download an application form to request CIL funding for a project click here