Here is a summary of the Strategy and Resources Committee meeting scheduled for 25 September 2025. The committee will be considering a range of topics, including the Community Infrastructure Levy, charitable trusts, and government consultations. They will also be asked to approve a revised compliance and enforcement policy, and to discuss the Local Authority Housing Fund.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Funding

The committee will be presented with the recommendations of the CIL Working Group for the 2025 annual funding awards. The Epsom and Ewell Community Infrastructure Levy - Annual Funding Awards 2025 report details the bids received for both strategic and neighbourhood CIL funding.

According to the report, during the annual funding round, the council received five strategic CIL bids and nine neighbourhood CIL bids. The CIL Member Working Group (MWG) has recommended allocating strategic CIL funding to four projects:

• Ash Dieback Essential Safety Works and Treescape Restoration: Up to £200,000 is recommended for tackling Ash Dieback Disease¹ in council-maintained public open spaces and for new tree planting.
• ANPR Surrey Police: Up to £36,000 is recommended for Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) infrastructure in the borough, with the aim of tackling crime.
• B284 Ruxley Lane Road Safety Scheme: Up to £75,000 is recommended for road tables at signalised crossings on the B284 Ruxley Lane in West Ewell.
• Parks recreation and play for young people and families: £1,060,053 is recommended for upgrading playgrounds and recreation grounds in Epsom and Ewell.

In addition to the annual funding round, one interim strategic CIL bid was submitted and is recommended for approval:

• Gibraltar Recreation Ground – Centre of Sporting Excellence: £3,100,000 is recommended for the redevelopment of Gibraltar Recreation Ground into a multi-sport community hub.

The CIL Member Working Group (MWG) has also recommended allocating neighbourhood CIL funding to the following six projects:

• 3rd Epsom Scouts Community Building: £50,000 is recommended for the renovation and rebuilding of a building on the 3rd Epsom Scout Group's site.
• Cattle Arch/Under-Rail Tunnel: Up to £32,000 is recommended for the installation of lighting in the pedestrian tunnel at Dewsbury Gardens in Worcester Park.
• Wheels for Epsom: £10,000 is recommended for a new and improved container for Wheels for All².
• Horton Country Park Path Restoration: £85,000 is recommended for the restoration of paths and bridleways in Horton Country Park.
• The Library of Things: £4,800 is recommended for a permanent, secure storage shed at a community site in Epsom & Ewell to enable the launch and long-term operation of a new community service: the Library of Things.
• Linden Bridge School – Road Safety Outside School Scheme: Up to £55,000 is recommended for a scheme to improve pedestrian accessibility and safety for children and families crossing Grafton Road to access Linden Bridge School³. ### Charitable Trusts

The committee will consider the future operation of the Chuter Ede Trust Funds and the Elizabeth Welchman Trust Fund. The Charitable Trusts report notes that James Chute Ede and his wife Lilian Mary Stephens Ede set up trust funds to assist students resident in the borough attending university. The key part of James' will states:

The trustees shall hold the trust fund to apply the income thereof from time to time in such a manner as they shall in their discretion think fit in or towards assisting persons ordinarily resident in the Borough of Epsom and Ewell …who are for the time being resident students at a residential university in the United Kingdom, or who are about to become such students and who have not obtained or qualified for the degree of Master of Arts or an equivalent degree of any university to obtain the full benefits of residence at such university and so that the selection of persons to receive assistance from among those qualified therefor hereunder shall be in the absolute discretion of the Trustees

The report states that the provisions are the same in Lilian's will, except that it relates only to girls or women ordinarily resident in the Borough. The report also notes that the council would like to explore changing the terms of the trust to allow the money to be spent with fewer restrictions, and also on a more diverse range of issues, whilst still supporting the overall ambition to support those residents of the borough who wish to study. The Elizabeth Welchman Trust was set up to provide funding and resources for the maintenance of the Elizabeth Welchman gardens, in Epsom. The report notes that the trust currently only has £1,649 in the balance, and it is proposed that this money is spent on a project as advised by the countryside team.

Government Consultations

The committee will be asked to note the council's responses to two government consultations. The Government Consultations report states that one consultation was on local government reorganisation (LGR) for Surrey, and the other was on the proposed Fair Funding Review.

Revised Compliance and Enforcement Policy

The committee will be asked to consider the adoption of a revised compliance and enforcement policy. The Revised Compliance and Enforcement Policy report notes that the existing enforcement policy dates from 2014 and requires changes to update generally and to enhance its robustness. The report also notes that an opportunity has been taken to rename the policy Compliance and Enforcement Policy to reflect the fact that enforcement can take many forms ranging from a verbal instruction to a formal prohibition or injunction.

Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF3)

The committee will be asked to approve the utilisation of £50,000 from the funding allocated to the LAHF3 programme. According to the LAHF3 - Review report, this is in order to facilitate the renovation of a Town & Country Housing (TCH) property in Epsom and thereby ensure the property can continue to be utilised for settled accommodation by applicants nominated from the Council's housing register.

Planning Software Procurement

The committee will be asked to approve the procurement of the Uniform software suite from IDOX Software Ltd for a further three years. The Planning Software Procurement report notes that the IDOX Uniform system currently in use supports a wide range of essential planning and regulatory functions.

Title Restriction - Southfield Park Primary School

The committee will consider a request from Surrey County Council to release its land from a Land Registry title restriction registered by EEBC to protect the former EEBC land from non-educational use. The Title Restriction - Southfield Park Primary School report notes that Southfield Park Primary School⁴ is currently the subject of an academy trust conversion.

Council Referred Motion

The committee will consider a motion that was referred to it by the Full Council on 22 July 2025. The Council Referred Motion report includes the motion in full, which requests that the council:

1. Reduce the Property Income Equalisation Reserve to £1m with the remaining £5.694m being equally divided between the General Fund Working Balance and Capital Reserves, from the 1st of September.
2. Urgently dispose of 66 High Street, 70 East Street and any underperforming Council owned commercial properties, and the capital receipts to be placed in Capital Reserves.
3. Urgently explore disposal of underperforming properties owned by EEPIC, the capital receipts to be used for increased dividends to be placed in Capital Reserves.
4. Proactively use our increased Capital Reserves for an accelerated 2026/27 capital programme to address a backlog of deferred works and future needs in the EEBC Building Asset Management Plan 2020-2030.

Other Items

The agenda includes the following standard items:

• Questions and statements from the public
• Declarations of interest
• Confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting
• Exclusion of press and public
• Facilities Management Contract