The District Council and the lack of accountability around developers' S106 payments...

Interesting observations can be made by even the most hypocritical of observers. 
So says Sir Philip Green, former boss of BHS, about the sorry state of public sector finance:
“The process is shocking. There’s no reporting. There’s no accountability.”

As noted by the EDW blog

Wealth brings its own rewards | East Devon Watch
And reported by the Guardian:
Curious silence of Philip Green’s celebrity friends | Catherine Bennett | Opinion | The Guardian
Which was originally suggested to Robert Peston:
BBC - Peston's Picks: Green: 'I'd be bust if I ran my business the way government does'

The EDW today has also noted a possibly 'shocking' piece of information about process in public sector finance:


EDDC HAS NO IDEA HOW MUCH S106 MONEY IS OWED TO THEM

1 MAY 2016

“How much revenue for s106 agreements in total is now owing to EDDC
(regardless of what year the agreement was made) because payment has not
been made?”

This information is not held”

s106 Agreement Monitoring and Compliance in East Devon - a Freedom of Information request to East Devon District Council - WhatDoTheyKnow


3 thoughts on “EDDC has no idea how much S106 money is owed to them”

Paul F says:
1 May 2016 at 12:13pm

I bet if I didn’t pay my council tax (the EDDC part of which is say £200) I would soon find a court summons in my letterbox.

So it is scandalous that EDDC may be allowing developers to get away with not paying potentially several £m of S106 money.

One rule for Diviani’s developer mates, and other for residents.


Tim says:
1 May 2016 at 2:04pm


So they can calculate officer time when it suits. 

["We know that it has taken an experienced officer some 6 hours to search through 200 of these documents and this is what we have based our estimate on."]

Sounds like it would be money well spent if they were genuinely that incompetent and there could be money outstanding – but they couldn’t have other reasons not to could they?


Robert Vint says:
1 May 2016 at 3:40pm


Keep asking where the S106 payments are coming from and how they are being used and how and by whom the priorities are being set. There are many ways to ask these questions and several different committees and individuals who can be asked. They can’t keep hiding the facts from us.

EDDC has no idea how much S106 money is owed to them | East Devon Watch

Such cash has been 'missing' for some time now:
Futures Forum: Missing out on developers' S106 funds...

What exactly is the nature of S106 - or its CIL replacement - anyway?
Futures Forum: 'Planning gain' - the replacement for S106 cash from developers - the Community Infrastructure Levy - but is it still 'bribery' by a different name?

Anf whose money is it?
Futures Forum: The great S106 cash give-away

All this is very much linked to the lack of affordable housing - as S106/CIL allows developers to effectively buy themselves out of any such commitment:
Futures Forum: Housing numbers projected for East Devon >>> "The total number of homes built during the 18 year Local Plan period could be as high as 23,000" - rather than the "17,000 minimum figure of housing need outlined by the new Local Plan."

This blog has featured Oliver Wainwright's investigations before:
Revealed: how developers exploit flawed planning system to minimise affordable housing | Cities | The Guardian
The truth about property developers: how they are exploiting planning authorities and ruining our cities | Cities | The Guardian
Futures Forum: 106 payments and the NPPF... “The definition of ‘sustainable’ has nothing to do with green issues or energy at all... It means one thing: commercially viable.”

You could try this out:

How to avoid providing affordable housing - a guide for developers
Futures Forum: "The affordable housing that's unaffordable"

Developments in Sidmouth have not as yet provided much in the way of affordable housing:
Futures Forum: Fortfield Hotel ... to ... Sanditon apartments ... to S106 cash

Even less grandiose ones do not have any such provision - despite the amount of S106 cash input for the District Council. For example:

Planning
East Devon District Council granted detailed Planning Consent on 25th October 2013 (Planning Reference 13/0534/FUL) for the demolition of the existing former club and construction of 6 x one bedroom dwellings with associated external works. Planning documents and drawings can be accessed via East Devon District Council website www.eastdevon.gov.uk/planning
The Scheme
Two terraces each of three one bedroom. The approved plans show end terrace with a gross internal area of 54sq m (585 sq ft) and mid -terrace units with a gross internal area of 51 sq m (551sq ft). There are 4 parking spaces.
SECTION 106 AGREEMENT: Providing for the sum of £14,983.29 open space contribution to be paid to East Devon District Council.

Land for sale in SIDMOUTH - DEVELOPMENT LAND, EX10

And yet the District Council allowed an opportunity for affordable housing on its own land to evaporate - whether at Manstone:
Futures Forum: Manstone Depot: "The council has a growing appetite to build its own council housing."

Or at Knowle:
Revealed: developer’s 126-home Knowle plan - News - Sidmouth Herald
Pegasus Sidmouth: Milton Keynes without the roundabouts | East Devon Watch
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: and releasing Local Authority assets to build housing 

To compare with another similar development:

At a newly-finished Pegasus development in Bude, Cornwall, one-bedroom apartments start at £300,000, and two-bedroom accommodation is priced from £600,000.

Developer reveals hopes for Knowle - News - Sidmouth Herald

See also:
Futures Forum: "Housing developers are gaming the planning system"
Futures Forum: "Not a single home that could be described as "affordable" within government guidelines is being built, or is for sale, anywhere in Cornwall."
EDDC CANNOT KEEP INFORMATION ABOUT KNOWLE SALE PRIVATE! | Sidmouth Independent News
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