Applications are normally invited from the following not-for-profit organisations whose activities benefit residents of the district:

• Local Authority (District, Town, Parish Council, County Council)
• Educational Establishment
• Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status
• Registered Charitable organisations
• Unincorporated not for profit organisations

Capital - Section 106 funds may only be spent on new facilities or improvements to facilities where the new development has, at least in part, contributed to the need for that facility or will have an impact on the existing facilities, these costs can also include project management costs. Please see Eligible projects for further information.

Revenue - Section 106 funding for revenue costs (also known as commuted sums) is for expenditure or costs, which primarily relate to the maintenance of existing facilities such as minor repairs, replacement or redecoration and cannot be used towards Capital projects. Commuted sums will be paid after completion of the project.

In both cases retrospective funding is not permitted.

Section 106 funding can only be awarded to Capital projects that are in accordance with   the contents of the relevant S106 Agreement or Unilateral Undertaking. 

Typically S106 funding will be required to be spent at a specific location and on specific ‘Type of  Provision’. The ‘Types of Provision’ are listed below.

Funding provisions

Types of Provision	Primary Purpose
Equipped Play	To create new equipped play areas or to improve existing play area. These areas are designed primarily for play and social interaction involving children and young people.
Youth Facilities	To construct facilities designed primarily for young people, such as ball courts, skateboard areas and teenage shelters
Sports Playing Pitches	To create new playing pitches or improve existing pitches.
Changing Rooms	To create new changing rooms or improve/expand existing.
Public Open Spaces	Accessible, high quality opportunities for informal recreation and community events close to home or work or enhancement of appearance of residential or other areas.
Artificial Grass Pitches	Man-made pitches designed for all weather use, typically floodlit and construction can be tailored to suit one specific sport, or cater to several e.g. hockey and football.
Community Halls	Provision of new or enhancement of village and community hall space
Sports Hall	Indoor sports halls designed for use by multiple types of sports.
Strategic Facilities	Destination facilities that usually serve a wide catchment area and can include for example Swimming Pools, Theatres, Indoor Sports Centres.

 

If you have a project and wish to check it’s eligibility, please contact the Locality Team at Locality@southsomerset.gov.uk

The following steps to S106 funding have been provided to help applicants understand the process they will be required to follow, both prior to submitting a S106 Funding Application and as they proceed through the planning and delivery of their project.

View our Section 106 Funding Application guidance notes. 

Step One

Before submitting a S106 Funding Application form you must contact the Locality team at Locality@southsomerset.gov.uk to:

• check you and your project is eligible for a grant
• confirm the available S106 funding available by contacting us
• have made all pre-application contacts necessary
• have gathered and collated all required information
• request a S106 application form

Please note: At this stage we may ask to work with you further to ensure your project can be as successful as possible. S106 Funding Applications that are submitted by non-eligible organisations or have not provided all the information required, cannot be assessed.

Step Two

If you are happy that you and your project is eligible and you have all the necessary information, you can complete our S106 funding application form and return to Locality@southsomerset.gov.uk

Step Three

Once submitted your application will be validated. Incomplete applications will be returned as part of the validation process so please ensure these are completed correctly. Once validated we can assess your application.

Step Four

Once fully approved you will receive a S106 funding award offer and Acceptance of Award declaration, which sets out the details of the project being funded, the amount of S106 funding being offered and the conditions attached to the S106 funding award.

If, however, your application is declined we will provide a summary of the reasons why.

Step Five

Once we have received your Acceptance of Award you may proceed with ordering goods and services to deliver your project, in accordance with the agreed proposals contained in your S106 funding award offer.

Important: S106 funding is not secured until we have received the signed Acceptance of Award and therefore you should not start your project.

Step Six

Funding is released once the project is complete and details of how to submit requests for payment will be set out in your S106 funding offer.

Depending on the size and value of your project you may be able to submit interim claims for part payment of the S106 funding and details of this will again be in your funding offer.

Step Seven

Monitoring evidence will be required on how the project has performed.   

Congratulations your project is finished.

You can view our Section 106 FAQs here.

This is general guidance on what you should consider whilst planning your play area or youth facility project for your community. This will help you install good quality equipment that will last and which you can easily maintain.

• Installation of quality equipment: This needs to be to EN1176 Play Equipment and EN1177 Safety Surfacing regulation
• A good design: Experience play companies can assist with this. You can also look at other parish play areas for completed recent projects and/or contact the Parish Clerk for good practice information. You should also consider landscaping environment, furniture, signage and accessibility of the area.
• Support for your project: Have you consulted the Parish Council and residents to establish what equipment is required for the project? You should talk through your ideas with the Parish Council in the first instance.
• Insurance implications: Check this with your insurance company.
• Regular inspections: Industry standards strongly suggest the following:
  - Weekly Inspection – Routine
  - Quarterly Inspection – Operational
  - Annual Inspection – Annual

Routine inspection is a visual inspection and can be carried out by any competent person, training is advised and is usually a one-day course. SSDC offer a service to carry out Weekly and Quarterly inspections. There are other companies that also provide this service.  Annual Inspections are carried out by qualified play inspectors.  Please email locality@southsomerset.gov.uk if you require further information on play inspections.

• Maintenance costs: A sinking fund for ongoing maintenance is advisable. Equipment generally lasts for around 20 years before replacement is required. Parishes can precept for maintenance costs and funding can also be in the form of S106 commuted sums, if this has been requested from a recent planning development in your parish.
• Repairs and maintenance: Issues will be picked up following inspections and will need to be actioned. Maintenance will also include regular cutting of grass, litter picking and emptying of bins.
• Funding your project: Check to see if there is any S106 funding available. Further information on S106 can be found here. You may also be able to apply for grants please see here.

Please contact the Locality Team at locality@southsomerset.gov.uk to enquire on details of funding available for your project, what they may be used towards, and for other advice and support for your project.