MORE than £150,000 of funds secured from development has been invested in public spaces in Midsomer Norton, the council has confirmed.

This is part of a wider £3million allocation across Bath and North East Somerset, as detailed in the council's annual report on Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding.

The council uses Section 106 agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to mitigate the impacts of new development and fund infrastructure required to support the sustainable delivery of development within Bath and North East Somerset.

The Infrastructure Funding Statement, Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 Annual Report for 2023/24 sets out the council’s income and expenditure from the two levies and has been published on the council’s website.

From 2023-24 £3,336,608 was spent on areas including £1.4million on highways maintenance, £1million on flood defences, more than £170k on the Pixash Recycling Centre in Keynsham, more than £40k on improvements to Royal Victoria Park and more than £150k on the public realm in Midsomer Norton

The report says the total amount of Strategic CIL receipts, whenever collected, which were allocated but not spent during the reported year is £5,714,447 and this has been fully approved for spending.

Schemes which have benefitted from the Bath Neighbourhood CIL include Odd Down BMX track, Whiteway Green park improvements, Brickfield Park and Percy Community Centre.

The report says the total amount of S106 money which was spent, including transferring it to another organisation to spend was £1,925,633 with funds going on a range of school improvement schemes, highways, parks and community libraries.

Councillor Matt McCabe, Cabinet Member for Built Environment, Housing and Sustainable Development, said: “The annual report clearly sets out where we have spent CIL and section 106 funds across Bath and North East Somerset for the benefit of residents.

“It also shows the parish and neighbourhood portion which gives residents a say on funding improvements in their communities as a result of local development. For the council the strategic CIL is a vital source of funding and supports a broad range of sustainable infrastructure schemes varying from improvements to flood defences and highways schemes to tree planting and parks projects.”

For a detailed breakdown of how Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds have been allocated across Bath and North East Somerset, the full report is available on the council’s website: www.bathnes.gov.uk/section-106-planning-obligations-and-community-infrastructure-levy-cil.