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Expenditure of Merton’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) income has to be split under the CIL Regulations in the following way:
- 15% of the money received must be spent on priorities to address demands that new development places on our neighbourhoods in Merton. This portion of the income is used to fund Merton's Civic Pride Investing in Neighbourhoods Fund.
- Up to 5% can be used to administer CIL in Merton
- The remaining money, may be spent on infrastructure projects that benefit the whole borough. This is called Merton's Strategic CIL Funding.
Civic Pride Investing in Neighbourhoods Fund
This fund is available for projects that Merton Council and communities have decided would address their priorities for Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy spending. We want Merton to be a place where people are proud to live, work and study: where everyone can thrive, and where we embrace the strength and diversity of our communities.
The process for allocation and governance of Merton's Neighbourhood Fund was approved at Merton's Cabinet meeting on 18th September 2017 (Item 4 – The Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy – governance).
We hold bidding rounds when we deem appropriate – usually not more than once a year – based on the level of CIL income that is available.
Bidding round 2023
Our sixth bidding round is due to open on 27 September 2023 for five weeks to early November 2023 and is being run jointly with the councils new Community Climate Action Fund. For all the details including the bid form and guidance please navigate to the dedicated webpage:
Civic Pride Investing in Neighbourhoods and Community Climate Action Funds
Bidding round 2022
We carried out our fifth bidding round in autumn 2022.
On 20 February 2023 Merton’s Cabinet approved £1,324m funding to successful bids covering 22 projects received through the 2022 Civic Pride Investing in Neighbourhoods Fund bidding round.
To find the final decision of Cabinet, the report and appendix containing a full list of bids and summary assessments, please navigate to the following page: Merton’s Civic Pride Fund – Investing in Neighbourhoods 2022 bid approvals
Bidding round 2021
We carried out our fourth bidding round over the summer 2021. On 8 November 2021 Merton’s Cabinet approved £1.275m funding to successful bids covering 24 projects including 2 top-ups of previously approved bids.
To view the final decision of Cabinet, the report and appendix containing a full list of bids and summary assessments, please see this page: Merton's Cabinet meeting on 8 November 2021.
Bidding round 2020
We carried out our third bidding round in late spring/early summer 2020. £1,413,819 funding was awarded across 18 projects.
The full report and decision can be viewed on the 7 September 2020 Cabinet meeting web page.
Additional Neighbourhood Fund allocations November 2020
A further four projects were allocated funding by Cabinet on 9 November 2020 using funding that was available for the bidding round 2020 but left over after the 18 allocations agreed by Cabinet in September 2020. The details of the allocations including the reasons why these projects required funding to be allocated in advance of the next bidding round can be viewed on the 9 November 2020 Cabinet meeting web page.
Bidding round spring 2019
We carried out our second bidding round over the spring 2019.
At its meeting on 15 July 2018, Merton's Cabinet selected projects for allocation of £0.98 million of Neighbourhood Funding. For the decision including the list of projects, please refer to item 12 on the (15 July 2019 Cabinet) meeting's web page including the report and decision.
Bidding round winter 2017-18
The first bidding round was carried out over the winter 2017-18.
Projects were selected for allocation of £1.6 million of Neighbourhood Funding in March 2018. For the decision including the list of projects please see the decision pack for the Neighbourhood Fund 2018.
Merton's Strategic CIL funding
Merton keeps its strategic CIL spending priorities under review and allocates funding to strategic infrastructure projects that support the demands that development place on areas as they arise. Appropriate funding priorities are identified through the Council's Capital Programme Board and allocations are approved though the relevant authority under the Council's Constitution.
CIL and S106 priorities
On 1st September 2019 changes to the information that councils are required to publish with respect of CIL and section 106 came into effect. This included removing the requirement to maintain and publish a Regulation 123 list (select these links to Merton's obsolete Regulation 123 list and Merton's strategic infrastructure list and questionnaire – November 2014 Consultation) and the introduction of “Infrastructure Funding Statements”.
Infrastructure Funding Statements
Infrastructure Funding Statements (IFSs) have been introduced to provide a more flexible tool than Regulation 123 lists by setting out the local authority’s priorities and delivery with respect of infrastructure delivered with the help of CIL and section 106 planning obligations. IFSs are published annually in December and are to provide delivery information with respect of the most recently completed financial year. Merton’s annual IFSs are published on our overview webpage for CIL
What happens next
During 2022 we will be working towards the final approval of Merton’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan (or "IDP") to support the adoption of our new Local Plan which is undergoing public examination by the Secretary of State. The IDP sets infrastructure priorities across the 15 year development plan period of the Local Plan and has provided a basis for preparing annual IFSs and assessing bids for Strategic CIL funding.
Alongside the IDP, our Capital Programme Board will continue to identify specific funding priorities for Merton CIL which will inform the written statement for our annual IFSs.