My contribution was published in part, with the rest of my statement as follows:

“What I see as a huge problem with s106 money is the length of time between when the sums are calculated, and when they are eventually spent. This is especially problematic as we’ve just gone through a period of high inflation. 

For example £500,000 pounds for a community hub in 2014 that is delivered in 2024 would only now be worth the equivalent of £375,000 in today’s money. Which would be bad enough, but you also need to factor in the uplift in property values. The same £500,000 community hub from 2014 would now cost you £766,000 to construct. Because of a ten year delay the community will now have to make do with something that is half as good as they were promised. Ten years isn’t unusual, or even particularly long in planning terms. After twenty years what has grandly been called a community centre might well be delivered as barely more than a scout hut.

In the same period these same factors work the other way in favour for the developers who are building and selling houses that are worth more and more for each year they delay.

It seems in law that planners can link sums payable to inflation, but this isn’t something that we see regularly, and it’s communities who are missing out.”

If you have any comments or want to discuss subjects such as s106 you can contact me on chair@nottingham.greenparty.org.uk

The post Councils yet to spend £93 million in S106 housing developer contributions appeared first on Nottingham Green Party.

Nottingham Green Party Chair Ben Gray says:

“The Green Party have detailed plans to tackle the realities of climate change, including simple things such as properly funding emergency responses and stopping new building on flood plains.”

“Even more importantly, the Greens are the only party committed to tackling the causes of flooding. We need to end the system that keeps hurting our environment and build a better alternative.”

So, what next? Record-breaking summer heatwave?

If you have any comments or questions on this story please email or telephone John Burgess on 07990013534.

The post Flooding in Nottinghamshire requires robust response appeared first on Nottingham Green Party.