1. Background
Section 106 (S106) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows a local planning authority (in this case, Bath & North East Somerset Council) to enter into a legally-binding agreement or planning obligation with a landowner in association with the granting of planning permission. The obligation is termed a Section 106 Agreement.
These agreements are a way of delivering or addressing matters that are necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms. They are increasingly used to support the provision of services and infrastructure, such as highways, recreational facilities, education, health and affordable housing.
As part of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s agreement with the developer of the new Tesco superstore in Keynsham, the sum of £240,000 has been made available for ‘the provision and/or improvement of community facilities within the town of Keynsham.’
Bath & North East Somerset Council, in partnership with Keynsham Town Council, has been asking the community and local organisations for new and original ideas and project proposals to provide or improve community facilities within the town of Keynsham. Those ideas are here.
Funding will be invested in one or more projects which demonstrate best use and will have the biggest impact for Keynsham.
Projects will have a capital value of between £80,000 and £240,000. There may be several small investments or one large investment made.
We are not asking for bids for funding at this stage.
The projects will only concern capital expenditure, that is, money for items such as land, buildings (either new ones or improvements to existing ones), machinery, IT equipment, office equipment and vehicles. The money cannot be used for revenue costs, that is, items such as salaries, expenses, travel costs, refreshments and fuel.
2. Process
The award of funding will be made using a 4-stage process:
2.1 Ideas submitted (03 January – 13 April 2012). Interested parties were asked to submit ideas for ways that the funding can most effectively be allocated. Ideas were invited for projects requiring capital expenditure between £80,000 and £240,000 – capital expenditure is defined as expenditure on fixed assets, e.g. buildings, land, IT equipment, vehicles and machinery.
At this stage, bids and applications for funding are NOT required; just innovative ideas about how the fund can best be allocated to meet its purpose.
Ideas submitted should ensure that they:
· Meet the overall vision for the scheme (as described in Background above);
· Maximise the benefit to the community of Keynsham;
· Enhance the use of community facilities;
· Lever in additional funding to add value to the proposal;
· Are open and transparent about the use of the funding;
· Demonstrate a justification for B&NES Council to allocate funding in accordance with the S106 agreement.
2.2 Ideas assessed. On Thursday 17th May 2012 the community of Keynsham turned out in force to come to vote on which community facilities they thought would have the best outcome for Keynsham. Votes were cast either electronically, at Keynsham Town Hall or in person.
Altogether 820 votes were received, which is a magnificent number, and reflects on Keynsham’s determination to be involved in decisions which affect their communities.
The votes were counted and verified, and the three highest scoring ideas were:
@One – St John’s Youth and Community Centre
The Fear Hall – Jubilee Lounge and Studio improvements
Community @67 – reconfigure and extend premises.
The final decision will be made by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Planning Service in conjunction with the Developer and with regard to recommendations of the Section 106 Programme Working Party reporting to Keynsham Town Council.
2.3 Ideas procured. Once a decision has been made about which ideas should go ahead, detailed specifications for the projects will be written.
Monies will be allocated either by direct grant or by open tendering.
Information about contracts to let will appear on the Supplying the South West procurement portal (www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk). All organisations who wish to tender must be registered on this web site.
B&NES Council’s procurement process conforms to all statutory requirements and B&NES Council’s corporate Standing Orders, and is entirely open and transparent. The published information will specify how responses will be scored to determine the preferred supplier for each project; the whole process is overseen by B&NES Council’s internal auditors.
2.4 Ideas delivered. After the procurement process is complete, delivery of the projects will begin.
3. Contacts
If you have any questions about the scheme, including completion of the Good Idea Form, please contact either:
John Whapshott, 01225 477669, john_whapshott@bathnes.gov.uk, or
Susan Bowen, 01225 277278, susan_bowen@bathnes.gov.uk, or
email k106p@bathnes.gov.uk
Or write to: Funding & Programmes, Policy & Partnerships, 1st Floor Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath BA1 1JG.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the purpose of the Fund?
The purpose of the Fund is to be used ‘towards the provision and/or improvement of community facilities within the Town of Keynsham’.
2. What funding is available?
The total ‘pot’ is £240,000. We are looking for ideas for suitable projects which require between £80,000 and £240,000 capital expenditure.
3. What do you mean by ‘capital expenditure’?
Capital expenditure is defined as expenditure on fixed assets, such as buildings, land, IT equipment, vehicles and machinery.
It does NOT include items such as staff costs and other expenses.
Organisations which apply for funding will be asked to demonstrate that they have the necessary revenue funds to support the capital project for which they are bidding.
4. How do we apply for funding?
At this stage we are NOT inviting bids or applications for funding.
5. How will ideas be assessed?
Each idea will be assessed using the following criteria:
· It meets the overall vision for the scheme (see 1 above);
· It maximises the benefit of the community in Keynsham;
· It enhances the use of community facilities;
· It will lever in additional funding which will create added value to the proposal;
· It is open and transparent;
· It will demonstrate the justification for B&NES Council to allocate funding in accordance with the S106 agreement.
6. What happens after the ideas have been submitted?
On 17th May 2012 between 2.00pm and 7.30pm Keynsham Communities will be invited to come along and vote for the project that they think will have the best outcome for Keynsham.
The final decision will be made by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Planning Service, in liaison with the Developer and with regard to recommendations of the Section 106 Programme Working Party reporting to Keynsham Town Council.
Once decisions have been made, B&NES Council officers will write specifications for the ideas and then begin the procurement process. This will be conducted in accordance with B&NES Council’s Standing Orders, using the Supplying the South West procurement portal (www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk). All organisations considering bidding for some or all of the Fund must be registered on that site.
7. Who can I contact if I have a question about the scheme?
You can contact:
John Whapshott, 01225 477669, john_whapshott@bathnes.gov.uk; or
Susan Bowen, 01225 477278, susan_bowen@bathnes.gov.uk; or
K106p@bathnes.gov.uk