Dear all
Please find below a response from the Labour Group Leader regarding your correspondence with him to do with the way S106 is being allocated by Swindon Borough Council.
Kind regards
Swindon Labour Group Political Assistant
Tel: 01793 463800
Web: www.swindon.gov.uk
Dear Sir(s)
RE: Your correspondence with me regarding Swindon Borough Council’s allocation of S106 Monies
I would like to thank both Rodbourne Cheney Residents Association and Oakhurst Residents Association for writing to me stating your concerns with the way Swindon Borough Council is allocating Section 106 monies and, in particular, Section 106 monies from the Northern Sector.
I would like to inform you that the Swindon Labour Group is also concerned with the current system of allocating Section 106 monies and will in due time be calling for a more inclusive, open and transparent system of allocating Section 106 money.
In the meantime the Swindon Labour Group will be asking questions at the next Full Council Meeting to the Council’s administration on the way they have allocated Section 106 money. Please find these questions below. Once we have received answers to these questions we will be happy share them with you.
Can the Lead Member outline:
1. What projects have the Haydon 3 s106 monies been spent on. Which wards are these projects located in?
2. What proportion of these funds have been spent in Haydon Wick and Abbey Meads wards?
3. What projects were the Haydon 1 and 2 monies spent on?
4. How decisions were made about the destination of the Haydon 3 S106 monies. Which Councillors were involved?
5. How have decisions been taken for allocating the £12.6 million for highway improvements?
6. Why has this money been allocated to the Great Western corridor rather than improvements benefiting North Swindon ?
7. What proportion of the £12.6m for highway improvements is being spent on public or sustainable transport?
8. What procedures are in place to ensure that Councillors are not able to unduly influence the process of allocating S106 monies?
9. Have there been any incidents of Councillors seeking to unduly influence the process of allocating S106 monies?
Cllr Jenny Millin
As parish councils and residents associations are getting increasingly angry with the disbursement of S106 monies that take place almost in secrecy and with a lack of transparency, or referral to the council's own guidelines that state:
'Infrastructure needs are informed by consultation responses from other Council service areas, neighbours, Residents Associations and Ward Councillors'.
Would the Lead Member please tell me how decisions are made about the destination of Section 106 monies, and which Councillors actually are involved?
Furthermore can the Lead member tell me what procedures are in place to ensure that Councillors are not able to unduly influence the process of allocating Section 106 monies, to get 'first bite of the cherry'? And could the Lead Member also tell me whether he is aware of any incidents when Councillors have unduly influenced the process of any S106 allocation?
