COUNCIL chiefs are sitting on more than £13 million in unspent funding from developers – including money dating back to the 1990s.

A freedom of information request by the LDRS has revealed that Cheshire West and Chester Council has raked in more than £28 million through Section 106 planning agreements in the past decade.

Section 106 is used by councils following to secure funding from developers to finance infrastructure projects around the site, following planning approval.

CWAC has either raked in itself or inherited section 106 contributions from the previous Vale Royal, Chester, and Ellesmere Port and Neston councils before May 2009, £13.6 million remains unspent.

“Section 106 forms an essential part of the funding for the council’s capital programme,” said Cllr Carol Gahan, cabinet member for legal and finance.

"The balance of Section 106 held at the time of the FOI request was £13.6 million. This is not a static balance and there are continual movements in and out of this, with individual Section 106 balances received sometimes being millions of pounds each.

“Over the past three years the council has received £12.6 million in Section 106 contributions and has utilised almost £10 million on local infrastructure projects.

“The council has an obligation to ensure it utilises Section 106 balances in an effective way that achieves the intended outcomes.

“It is therefore appropriate that time is taken to ensure that all expenditure funded in this way is appropriately planned and therefore there can often be a time lag between when contributions are received and expenditure is incurred.”

Northwich Guardian:

The data shows that the oldest known part of the £13.6 million pot is a remaining £25,000 secured from developers of the Coliseum Retail Park, in Ellesmere Port.

That planning application was submitted to CWAC’s predecessor in March 1998 and approved the following June.

CWAC is also still holding £14,000 from developers of a housing scheme at the former thermal ceramics site in Neston, which was approved in November 2002.