Plan to speed up the use of developer contributions is approved
A new scheme, aimed at speeding up the ability to spend tens of millions of pounds of developer contributions in the Oxfordshire communities where it is needed, has been approved.
Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today approved the accelerated delivery plan to unlock £27.5 million of investment – known as Section 106 (S106) funding.
By investing £4m of additional funding, which was approved in the 2025-26 budget, it aims to fast-track 33 schemes that otherwise faced delays due to various barriers and funding gaps.
The accelerated delivery programme includes 16 active travel schemes, two bus improvement schemes, six combined bus and cycle schemes, five traffic calming and village improvements, two junction improvements and two strategic link improvements.
The 33 schemes were chosen based on local priorities.
Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Our S106 reserves have been in the spotlight in recent years, and it is only right and proper that public money comes under this high level of scrutiny.
“We are proud of our record of securing S106 contributions from developers to pay for the infrastructure that communities need. However, the process of making sure that money is spent promptly is far from simple.
“That’s why we are continually investigating ways of speeding up the delivery process for the benefit of residents. This accelerated delivery plan should help unlock the funding required to enable work to begin on these much-needed projects.”
S106 money is held for specific purposes related to development and cannot be spent on general council services. In most cases, the projects they relate to are large and complex, can take many years to come forward, and have trigger points when payments can be made.
The rate of spend of reserves of S106 money has increased in recent years as the council looks to deliver the infrastructure that Oxfordshire’s towns and villages need to cope with new developments in their areas. This new scheme is expected to ensure that trend continues.
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