Town Council allocates development levy funds

Kendal Town Council has allocated funding from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to support the priorities set out in its Council Plan. Following its groundbreaking Citizen’s Jury on Climate Change in 2020, the Council undertook to implement a range of measures that would help address the problems of a changing climate. ‘We want our town to be a lovely place to live, work and visit, but we also aspire to net zero carbon emissions’, explained Cllr Stephen Coleman, who chairs the Council’s Management Committee. ‘This CIL-funding has enabled us to make small, but real investments in improving the way people move around the town, without using cars. We’re hoping our lead will be followed by others who can make bigger investments.’

At a meeting of the Council’s Management Committee, £50,000 from the levy was allocated to improving footpaths in Kendal, and a further £50,000 to improve the town’s bus station, signage and cycle storage. £35,000 was allocated towards helping Westmorland and Furness Council develop a pump track at the park in Sandylands and £30,000 was allocated to support the work of Kendal Futures in implementing the Kendal Vision for town centre improvements.

The Town Council receives 15% of the Community Infrastructure Levy charged on new development in Kendal. The rest is allocated to Westmorland and Furness Council to help offset the longer term impacts of development on the local community. Since the levy was introduced in 2016, Kendal Town Council has allocated over £240,000 to support investment in the town’s infrastructure, including the replacement of handrails, railings and other street furniture, the expansion of Canal Head allotments, the implementation of a 20mph speed limit on the town’s streets, and the improvement of the town’s historic yards. This funding comes on top of the government’s recent decision to allocate ‘Levelling-up’ funding to Kendal’s Market Place improvements, for which the Town Council had invested a £5,000 contribution to the development plan.

Mayor of Kendal Cllr Julia Dunlop said, ‘Using the CIL takes some of the burden of investment off hard-pressed council tax payers in Kendal. We aim to make lasting improvements which will benefit residents and visitors alike’.