We, the undersigned, are concerned residents of Tower Hamlets who demand the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to reverse its decision on how to spend the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding.

NCIL is a portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) that is collected by the borough from new developments over a certain size. It can be used to fund local infrastructure projects that are needed to support new developments, such as schools, health services, leisure, open spaces and transport improvements.

On 21 June 2023, the Mayor in Cabinet approved a new delivery framework for NCIL funding, which splits the funding into three sub-programmes: Community Grants Programme, Capital Projects and Affordable Housing Projects. According to this framework, the Mayor in Cabinet has the power to decide which projects will receive NCIL funding and which projects will be cancelled.

We are appalled by this decision, which effectively cancels a large number of existing projects that were previously approved by the Council and supported by the community. These projects include improvements to parks, playgrounds, community centres, libraries, sports facilities, cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings. These projects are vital for our local area and our well-being.

We believe that this decision is undemocratic and unfair. It disregards the views and needs of the local communities and prioritises the Mayor’s agenda over ours. It also contradicts the national Planning Practice Guidance (PPG), which states that the Council should consult with the community on how best to spend the NCIL funding.

We therefore call on the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to reverse its decision on how to allocate NCIL funding and to reinstate the cancelled projects. We want to see our NCIL funding used to deliver local infrastructure improvements that are chosen by residents, not by the Mayor alone.